The Other Swordsman
by Gary Thunder
Summary: IMPORTANT NEWS - story on hiatus. Read Chapter 63 for details.
1. The Other Swordsman

Okay, this is my first story on ff.net. A few things before the story begins, though. I do not own Inuyasha (the show or the person). About my OC...it gets a little complicated. He's an amalgam of the coolest character in every anime show I watch. His personality and a lot of other things I made up, but if he does something and you think "Oh! That reminds me of so-and-so from such-and-such anime!" you'll probably be right. While he has roots in various characters, he is most definitely original, so he is my OC. All rights are reserved to their respective authors. Please don't sue. Rated PG-13 for violence and some language. No citrus content (I stink at writing it) but this is definitely an Inu/Kag with some Mir/San. Don't worry, my OC won't try to steal Kagome away, he's much too honorable for THAT.

Chapter One: The Other Swordsman

Kagome hopped out of the Bone Eaters' well in modern-day time. Inuyasha arrived a few seconds later, grumbling as usual.

"Kagome, why do we have to stay so long in here? I heard rumors of a group of icicle demons that have a shard with them..." But Kagome was not to be dissuaded that easily.

"Inuyasha, you know as well as I do why we're here. We need to get more supplies! I'm out of bandages, disinfectant, and aspirin already..." She cast him an exasperated look. "And besides, if we don't go shopping, that'll mean no more ramen..."

He stopped, shocked. "No more ramen?!"

"Yes, no more ramen. Come _on_! We have to get to the city before everything closes!" She grabbed his hand and yanked him along with him.

They hailed a cab and arrived in Tokyo a few minutes later. Kagome paid the driver and came out.

"Inuyasha...it's late already. If we dawdle any more, all the shops will close and we won't be able to get anything until tomorrow! I know you don't like coming here, but you'll just have to deal with it."

"Why did I even come with you anyway?" he growled.

"_Because_, I don't know what sort of stuff you eat besides ramen and I need you to tell me!"

"You could have asked..." He mumbled some more as Kagome pulled him into the shops.

Two hours later, they were wandering among the alleys of the city. Inuyasha was loaded down with packages, but Kagome kept glancing nervously to either side.

"Inuyasha...We should leave really soon," she whispered.

"Why? I thought you were having so much fun buying all this stuff that we'll never use anyway."

"Because!" Kagome hissed. "All sorts of dangerous people hang out around here after dark and I don't want to get mugged!"

Inuyasha uncomfortably shifted his burden. "You're afraid of being mugged? When I'm here to protect you? I can take out a tribe of bear youkai, a guy with a dagger is no problem."

As if to contradict him, Kagome was suddenly pulled into a dark passageway off the main alley. Inuyasha instantly dropped all the packages and leaped after her. Inside, a grizzled-looking man was holding Kagome against the wall, a switchblade in his hand.

"So, little girly," he chuckled in a raspy voice. "You got any cash on you?" Frightened, she shook her head. She'd spent most of her money shopping.

His smile vanished. "So, holding out on me, huh? I don't like girlies that lie..." At that moment, Inuyasha soared from the shadows; and in one fluid movement hurled the man away and clutched Kagome to him. The man came back, holding his knife up. Inuyasha whipped out Tetsusaiga and held it to the man's throat.

"Easy there, boy." He dropped the knife and held his hands up. "I don't want any trouble."

"Well then, you shouldn't have started any trouble," Inuyasha snarled as he advanced, pressing the man to the wall of the alley.

To everyone's astonishment, the man began to chuckle again. "You know, with that big sword, you remind me of this other guy..."

Inuyasha was puzzled, but got over it quickly. "I'm holding you to the wall with a sword at your neck, and all you can think about is some guy?"

The man smiled. "You're not the killing type. I can see it in your eyes. But this other guy, I'd expect him to kill me in a heartbeat."

Inuyasha withdrew his sword. "All right, I'll bite. Who is this mysterious 'other guy'?"

"I don't know his real name. Around here, he goes by..." The man leaned close. "Kyoten." The man glanced fearfully down the alleyway, as if he expected this Kyoten to appear right there. "He uses a sword like you do, but it's even bigger and nastier looking. He's an assassin. Some say..." He took another nervous look down the passage. "Some say he's never failed a contract. Some say he's never gotten hurt."

"And where do we find this mysterious Kyoten?" Inuyasha asked in a mock-polite tone.

"I don't know, man..." Growling, Inuyasha pulled out Tetsusaiga again and held the blade against the man's throat.

"You said I wasn't the killing type, and maybe you're right." Inuyasha's voice dropped to a whisper, so Kagome couldn't hear. "But you don't need your eyes..._or_ your ears...to live."

. "Okay! Okay! I'll tell you. Between jobs, he hangs out at the Seventh Heaven bar about three blocks from here. He only ever appears at night though. Now lemme go!" Inuyasha released him and watched as he scampered away into the darkness. He turned to Kagome.

"So...what do you think? Should we find him? He sounds impressive enough."

"I don't know, Inuyasha. He might be dangerous." Kagome looked down the alley at the still fleeing man. "If people are that scared of him..."

"Feh. When was the last time a _human_ could beat me? I can take on this 'Kyoten' any day of the week. So don't worry about that." Kagome's face still held reservations. "Come on! You dragged me around town shopping, now let's do something for me. Where is this bar anyway?"

"Umm...I'm not sure, but we could ask. But if we don't find it, we're going straight home, ok?"

Inuyasha laughed. "Oh, big bad Kagome is afraid of a widdle man and his sword!"

"Shut up!" She pretend-punched him on the arm. "Let's just find this guy and leave."

A few minutes later, they stood in the entrance to Seventh Heaven bar. It really was a seedy place. A foul smell hung in the air, causing Inuyasha's nose to wrinkle up in disgust. People were shooting pool, playing cards, watching TV, boozing at the bar. A violent shouting match erupted at a nearby poker table; it seemed two people had simultaneously played an ace of spades. A scruffy-looking guy stumbled over to a woman in a red dress at the bar, and whispered something in her ear. She punched him in the jaw and walked out. Kagome didn't like the look of this place one bit. She spoke up. 

"Excuse me?" Nobody paid attention to her. "Excuse me!" No reaction. She was about to try again when Inuyasha put a hand on her shoulder.

"Just standing here shouting isn't going to get us anywhere. Let's ask that guy serving drinks."

"You mean the bartender?"

"Yeah, whatever. He might know. Looks like he runs this place." Inuyasha stormed up to the bar. Kagome remained timidly by the door. The bartender glanced up at him with a bored expression.

"What'll ya have, son?"

"I'm not here for a drink. I'm here for information. I want to know something," Inuyasha growled.

The bartender shrugged. "Lotsa people wanna know something. Every day I get people comin' in here and asking me what time the bus arrives, the football scores, if there are any sales in the shops. Who do I look like, the answer man? Either buy something or leave."

Inuyasha slammed his fist down on the bar. "Look, just tell me! Who is this guy Kyoten?"

The bar went dead. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at Inuyasha. He glanced around, unsure of what this reaction meant.

The bartender stared at him, wild-eyed. "You-you're really serious, aintcha? He-he's over there." He cast a shaking finger down to the end of the bar, where a man sat, unperturbed by the break in the activity. He had a shock of red hair; a long cape covered up the rest of him. He had his back to them.

Inuyasha went over to him. "Hey! You're Kyoten, right?"

Kyoten did not stir as he responded. "People call me that." His voice was unnatural. It sounded muted, low; but at the same time, like there was incredible power hidden beneath it. Inuyasha had never heard a voice like that in his life.

"So, it isn't your real name?" Inuyasha asked, with just a hint more respect in his voice.

"No." Obviously he wasn't much of a talker. Inuyasha decided to try the indirect route. "Hey...I didn't catch your real name."

Kyoten was unimpressed. "I didn't throw it."

By now, Inuyasha was getting frustrated. "All right," he began angrily. "So what is it?" No response. "Tell me!" he almost shouted.

For the first time, he showed some reaction as he shifted in his seat. "You really want to know?" Inuyasha said nothing. "All right then. I'll tell you. But you have to do something for me first."

Silence. The bar hounds began to edge away from Kyoten, except for Inuyasha, who stood there, stubborn as ever. "What?" he snarled. "What do you want?"

Kyoten put down his drink, though he did not face them. "You have a sword. A rather nice one, if I am to judge. If you can defeat me in a sword battle..." Everyone cringed except for Inuyasha and Kagome, who were puzzled. "Then I'll let you in on my name. However. If I defeat you, you'll have to leave and never bother me again. Fair?"

"Yeah...I guess," Inuyasha muttered. "But you'll have to promise."

"Promise what?" He sounded slightly amused.

"That you won't scream too loudly when I cut you." Inuyasha drew his sword and pointed it straight at Kyoten.

The mystery man chuckled. "I like you. Let's do this." He stood up and faced them. Kagome gasped at his strange appearance. His clothes were definitely not of this time. They seemed to be elaborate, regal robes more than simple clothes. He wore ornate plates of ebony armor across his chest and back, and on his arms and legs. They were festooned with jewels and fancy patterns. He looked altogether like he had just stepped out of some throne room from the past. At his side, he wore a scabbard.

But his face...His features looked like he was twenty or so, and he looked vaguely American, yet the light behind his eyes suggested that he was more than a mere man. That there was something behind his odd façade. A terrible secret lurked just behind his eyes, but no man there had the courage to find it out.

He walked across the room, and the stunned barflies parted like the Red Sea as he went through. At the door, he paused and turned to them again.

"Oh, yeah. This'll be an exhibition match, so everyone can come watch." The crowd erupted in cheers and hustled Inuyasha and Kagome out the door. The bartender could just be seen dragging some tables out before the three of them went behind the bar, into a wide alley. A few minutes passed, and Inuyasha readied himself while the crowd set up tables and chairs for watching from. Finally they were ready. An 'arena' was designated, and they took up their fighting stances.

"This match goes until the first blood is drawn." Kyoten shouted for all to hear. He then leaned close to Inuyasha and whispered, "And make it showy. The bartender gives me free drinks if I get him customers, and this is the perfect way to do it." He stood apart from Inuyasha.

"DRAW!" barked the bartender. Inuyasha unsheathed Tetsusaiga. Kyoten pulled out his sword. It was enormous. At least four feet long, it glittered with unnatural power. It was perfectly smooth, without a chip, crack, or defect throughout. Its blade had a tongue of fire patterned on it.

"That's no ordinary sword..." Kagome mumbled just loud enough for Inuyasha to hear.

"FIGHT!!"

So, first fic ever. Review please!!! I've barely gotten started, expect at least 10-11 chappies this size before this fic is over. And if it's not too much trouble, could someone explain what the little ff.net abbreviations stand for? AU, OOC, R&R, etc. Thank you!


	2. The Mystery Revealed, Sort Of

Chapter 2: The Mystery Revealed…Sort Of

Kyoten moved in. His sword movements were slow and easy to read. Clearly he did not think Inuyasha knew how to fight. Inuyasha traded blows for a minute or so, then lunged forward in an attempt to disarm. His opponent leaped backwards; when he landed, there was a small smile on his face.

"So, you do know how to fight. I figured you were just some schmo who bought a fancy sword from the costume shop. But you do have skill." He brought his sword up again. "So let's turn it up a notch." He advanced and began the fight again. Much to Inuyasha's dismay, he merely quickened his pace a little, but kept the same predictable structure. The crowd was beginning to get bored, and Inuyasha was rapidly tiring of this monotonous fight. So he locked swords with Kyoten, and while struggling for the upper hand, whispered in his ear.

"You really don't think much of me, do you? Now I'll show you what I can really do."

Inuyasha broke the sword lock and charged. He brought his sword down with all his strength, and began a devastating offensive. It was all Kyoten could do to defend himself. The crowd cheered as Kyoten began to lose ground to Inuyasha. Finally, he leaped back again and put up his sword.

"Well, well, well." His eyes glittered. "We have a true warrior in our midst. That's no technique I've ever seen…you must really be a master. But careful." He leaned forward and extended his sword. "Now I'm really going to show you what I've got."

And then, the battle was truly fought.

The spectacle that followed was really something to see. The crowd roared as Inuyasha and Kyoten clashed swords, in maneuvers and styles that looked far cooler than anything they had seen before. Kyoten leaped over Inuyasha's head, parrying a fierce thrust while in midair, then landed and turned around just in time to block two attacks and launch three of his own. Inuyasha backed up, then dived at Kyoten. The other man whirled to face him, but Inuyasha twisted around in midair and landed on his back, sliding under him and aiming a fierce blow at his chest. Kyoten jumped up and brought down his sword to parry Inuyasha's attack.

For an instant that was an eternity, the two fighters stayed in that position; Kyoten in midair, Inuyasha on the ground, eyes blazing with battle fury.

Kyoten did a backflip and landed nimbly on his toes. Inuyasha did a handspring and touched ground. In a flash, they were sparring again. Their swords locked, and as each man struggled for an advantage, Inuyasha saw an opening. He broke the sword lock and feinted to the left. Kyoten fell for the ruse, and Inuyasha countered with a roundhouse kick to the chest that sent Kyoten flying. He slammed against the wall; without hesitating, Inuyasha hurled Tetsusaiga right at Kyoten's head. He dodged it, but the blade sliced open the shoulder of his robes as it embedded itself in the wall.

Nobody moved, nobody even breathed. Kyoten looked down at his torn robes, put a gloved hand there, and brought his hand to his mouth. He tasted something, then nodded.

"Yeah. Blood. You win."

The crowd roared and surged towards Inuyasha. Before he could react, he was being carried back into the bar by the rabble underneath him. He panicked and looked to Kagome.

"Kagome! What's going on?"

"Just go with it, Inuyasha. They're not gonna hurt you." She smiled.

"Don't be so sure. With this bunch, anything could happen." Kagome whirled around to see Kyoten right behind her. He handed her Tetsusaiga. But when she looked at the blade, there was no blood.

"K-Kyoten? Didn't you say that you got cut by this?"

"What? Yeah, I cleaned it off. A sword's no good if it rusts into pieces." She managed a giggle. "C'mon, let's go in. The party is just starting."

Inside, the party had indeed started. Inuyasha was at the head of it all, and people were crowded at the bar, buying rounds for him and the others. A glass was placed in front of him. Kagome struggled through the crowd and came up beside him.

"Kagome? What is this dark liquid?"

"It's called whiskey. It's alcoholic, so be careful." Right after she said that, she realized that he didn't know much of anything about alcohol. She was about to say something to him when he drank the entire glass in one gulp.

"This stuff is great! Where can I get some more?"

Instantly, about fifteen cups, goblets, mugs, shotglasses, etc. were plunked down on his space at the bar.

Two hours later, Inuyasha was so drunk he could barely think. Kagome hadn't drunk anything. Kyoten had drunk an awful lot, but still was the only sober one in the bar. Inuyasha was telling a long and boisterous story at the bar while Kagome was hanging out, watching TV.

"Sho there I wassh. A great, big, great demon, jusht _chargin' down the path. He wassh twenny feet tall, with wings an' claws an' all that shtuff. He came a-chargin' at me, I pulled out my shword, an' – Hey! I'm outta that wishkey again!" His glass was refilled. He took a long drink before continuing. "He came jusht barrelin' down the road. I pulled out my shword…" Everyone leaned closer in. "An' __shtabbed him through the heart!" They cheered._

Kagome looked at Kyoten for a minute. "Hey Kyoten…you've drunk as much as Inuyasha! Why aren't you looped like him?"

He smiled slightly. "Alcohol doesn't affect me the way it does most people."

"Okay…" She looked around for a clock, finding one on the wall. Wow, it was later than she–

**_1:36??!!_**

She turned to Kyoten. "Kyoten, it's 1:30 in the morning! I gotta get back to… uhh… Inuyasha's house!"

He turned to the bar. "Okay. I'll get him." He walked up to Inuyasha. "Inuyasha…it's time to go home."

Inuyasha stared at him. "Why? I'm having sho much fun!"

"Kagome says so. Now come on before I have to carry you out." As it turned out, Kyoten actually did have to carry Inuyasha out, as he was too drunk to walk on his own. As he began to leave, the bartender spoke up.

"Hey! Who's gonna pay for all these drinks…not to mention damages?" Kyoten cast a  glance around the room. The place had been wrecked. All but three of the tables had been overturned, glass had been smashed, the pool balls were randomly flung around. The revelry had junked up the bar.

Kyoten looked around at all the people who suddenly had important engagements elsewhere, and turned to Inuyasha and Kagome. "Wait outside. I'll handle this." They left. He pulled a wad of bills out of his pocket; and as the bartender gaped, counted them out.

"Five, six, seven, eight…You know what? Forget it. Just take all this and keep the change." He thrust the bills into the shocked bartender's hand and strolled out the door.

Outside the bar, Kyoten made a mysterious phone call and told them to wait. While they waited, Kyoten spoke up.

"If you need a place to stay, my place is big enough for all three of us. What do you think?"

Kagome was puzzled. "We just met a few hours ago and you're already offering us a room?"

He looked in higher spirits than when they had first met. "That was the most fun I've had in years. You two really are great to be around. I haven't met anyone like you in at least…" he thought for a minute, "…a decade."

Inuyasha stumbled over. "Jusht how old are you, anyway?"

An odd, closed expression was on Kyoten's face. "Older than I look." He looked away.

Inuyasha stood up straighter, with an almighty effort. "Well, I trusht him. He and I are great palsh now!" He attempted to clap Kyoten on the shoulder, but missed and went sprawling in the dirt.

"Whaddayou think, Kagome?" came his muffled voice.

"Umm…well…" She thought for a second. _We__ don't even know this guy and he's giving us a place to stay?! There's got to be something up. It's probably a trick._ "No…my house is fine. We can visit later."

"Very well." At that moment, a limousine pulled up. Kyoten opened the door and gestured inside. "Well? The car's waiting…"

Kagome was surprised again. _I expected a taxi…this guy must be pretty rich._ She got in and pulled Inuyasha in with her. Kyoten got in nearer the front. "Where's your house?" he asked. She told him, and he told the driver, who sped off.

"I know what you're thinking," Kyoten began. "You think I'm pretty rich. Well, I am. You've heard of my…profession?" Kagome nodded slowly. "I've never failed a contract yet. As such, I can charge ridiculously high fees for my work and people pay it."

"Of course, the downside of being so successful is that everyone else in the business is out to get you. Hardly a day goes by without some jerk and his Glock showing up who thinks he can put me out of commission permanently. But, it goes with success, I guess. Hang around me long enough and you'll see that happen."

Inuyasha lurched drunkenly up. "Hey…" he said. "You shtill haven't told ush your name. What ish it anywaysh?"

A barely describable emotion flitted over Kyoten's face. It looked like a mixture of anger, fear, sorrow, pain, and insanity, all in one. He closed his eyes and took a deep, shuddering breath. He bowed his head and remained silent for several seconds. To Kagome, it looked like he was struggling not to cry. Finally, he lifted his head.

"Tobias."

No, he isn't a softy. He just has painful memories surrounding that name. More on that later. So w00t!! Review PLEEEEEEEASE!! I'll give you a cookie...


	3. What Is This Guy, Really?

YAAAAAY! Two reviews! I'm picking up!

To iy fuzzy ears: No, Tobias isn't perfect. He can fight well, but he's just a guy. He's just terribly mysterious. In fact...*heh heh heh*...he may just get his comeuppance in a few chapters...*BWAHAHAHA!!!*

Ahem. ON WITH THE STORY!!!

Chapter 3: What Is This Guy…Really?

They arrived at Kagome's house a few minutes later. They got out, then Tobias stepped out next to them.

"I don't normally hang around during the day…" Tobias cracked a smile. "But I'll make an exception for you. I'll meet you here tomorrow at noon on the dot. We can tour the city together. Hell, you'll probably see me get attacked and watch a grand ol' battle. What do you say?"

Kagome started to say something, but Inuyasha barged in. "Sure. We'll have lotsh of fun togezher. It'll be the greatest–" He fell asleep abruptly. Tobias smiled again and Kagome laughed out loud. "We'd better get him inside," she giggled.

The next morning, Inuyasha lay in bed. "Kagome…" he groaned. "My head hurts and I can barely remember anything. What happened?"

"You drank yourself stupid last night and now you're paying for it," Kagome said as she walked in. "This is what happens when you drink a lot of alcohol. It's called a hangover and there really isn't any way to get rid of it. It'll go away in a couple of hours."

After a lot more moaning and complaining, Inuyasha's hangover left him, and he came downstairs for breakfast with the whole Higurashi family. Mama had fixed him a pot of ramen and the rest of them had scrambled eggs. As they ate, Sota peppered Kagome and Inuyasha with questions.

"So whadja do last night? Was it real scary? Was it real fun? Didja find any demons? Didja do anything cool? Didja meet anyone cool? Didja–"

"Yeah!" said Inuyasha, mostly to shut him up. "We met this really cool guy called Tobias."

"Tobias?" Mama asked. "Who is this Tobias?"

"We-we're not sure ourselves," Kagome mumbled. "He dresses in these weird clothes and wears armor, and carries a huge sword, and can fight almost as well as Inuyasha. Other than that, there's not much we know about him."

"One more thing," Inuyasha said thickly through a mouthful of ramen. "He's a professional assassin."

Mama's fork clattered to her plate. "An…_assassin_?!" she hissed. "You're going out in the middle of the night and getting drunk-"

"MAMA!" Kagome yelled. "I didn't drink anything!"

"-and running around God-knows-where with an _assassin_??" Mama continued, undeterred by Kagome's interjection. "This guy could be a dangerous lunatic for all you know! He could've killed you both!"

"Assassins only kill for money. I don't have a job right now, so you're safe." The whole family whipped around to see none other than Tobias standing in the hallway. "You left your back door wide open. Extremely unsafe, especially if a 'dangerous lunatic' like myself could just slip in."

"I…umm…what I meant was…I don't want them going around with somebody who isn't entirely safe," Mama stuttered, going very red. Kagome glanced at her watch and saw that it was indeed 12:00 sharp. But what was most peculiar about him was that he was wearing normal clothes, instead of his armor. _He really looked better before_, Kagome decided to herself. Even without the fancy clothes, his sword still hung at his side.

"Entirely safe?!" Tobias roared. "Of course I'm not entirely safe! But neither is he," he added, clapping a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. Inuyasha looked up at him and growled. "There's no fun to be had just hanging around entirely safe people. You need adventure in your life!" He looked down at the table. "Hey, scrambled eggs! Are there any left?"

Soon Tobias was munching breakfast at the table with everyone else, sitting next to Kagome. She regarded him with puzzlement. He had undergone a complete change in personality since last they met. Whereas before he had been sullen and withdrawn, now he seemed lighthearted, open, and…_fun_. Even Mama seemed to like him. This was odd. What had caused this? She spoke up.

"Tobias, I notice that now you're a lot more…open than you were last night. What happened?"

He looked up. "Oh, that? No, I'm not really that low-key like I was in the bar. I'm a fun kinda guy. That's just an act I put on so every Joe Six-Pack doesn't come up to me and start with the yammerin' and the jibberin' and the jabberin'. It also keeps with the whole 'mysterious assassin' image."

"And one other thing," Kagome continued tentatively. "Last night you were wearing these weird clothes and armor, but today…"

"You think I wear that getup all the time? That's strictly for when I'm on the job. You wear that all the time and people _really_ think you're mysterious. It's great for impressing targets, but lousy if you want to go to the movies without being stared at. You caught me just as I was resting from a job I'd done about two hours before." He gobbled more eggs.

"Well, I know now that you're a decent person, but I'm still not entirely comfortable with your…_unusual_ occupation." Mama started to clear the plates. "What do you do in your spare time?"

"I don't have much spare time, what with hunting people down within a certain time limit and all; but between jobs I hang out at the bar or just electro-lounge around my house."

"Electro…lounge?" Inuyasha asked, puzzled.

"I made it up. Basically you slouch around and do all sorts of electronic things, like watching TV or going on the computer or stuff like that. It's a lot of fun if you don't have anything else to do." He finished his eggs and pushed his plate away. "By the way, Inuyasha. There's something I've been meaning to ask you about. It's your ears."

Inuyasha recoiled. "My ears?" His ears twitched.

"Yes, your ears. Not many people have ears like that. What's with them, anyway?"

"Well…" Inuyasha shifted in his seat. "I'm not…one hundred percent human."

Kagome broke in. "He's a half dog-demon, or hanyou." Inuyasha glared at her.

"Hanyou? Haven't heard of that before," Tobias remarked. "Where are you from anyway?" Kagome and Inuyasha sort of squirmed in their seats. "Don't want to tell me? That's fine. I'm not telling you anything about my past, so you don't have to say anything about yours." He stood up. "So. Ready to explore the city on $50,000 a day?" He pulled out another wad of bills. Everyone's jaw hit the ground.

"What?"

They arrived in the city. Once they left the limo, Tobias leaned close to Kagome.

"You asked before why I wasn't wearing my traditional clothes," he whispered. "Take a look." He stretched down his collar. A glint off of his black armor and the shoulder of his cape underneath his clothes caught Kagome's eye.

"Now you know." He straightened his collar and turned to Inuyasha. "Shall we? We have lots to do and only one day to do it."

They went to see a movie at the _Apollo Googolplex Cinema_. Tobias bought the tickets ("It's my favorite action flick," he told them) and the popcorn while Kagome and Inuyasha found good seats. About halfway through the movie, Kagome leaned over to Inuyasha.

"Just what is this guy? He seems too good to be true," she whispered.

"I'm not sure myself. One thing I know: there's more to him than meets the eye," Inuyasha whispered back.

"Ya think?!"

"Well...yeah. With the sword and the fancy acrobatics and the huge amounts of money-" Inuyasha paused to swallow a mouthful of popcorn. "I'm not even sure this guy is human."

"What do you mean?" she said, startled.

"Well, when we were at the bar, did he drink anything?"

She thought for a moment. "Yeah...almost as much as you did. But he didn't seem affected!"

"He wasn't?! That's weird. If even someone like ME can get drunk on that stuff, why isn't he?"

"Come to think of it," Kagome whispered, "he said he hadn't had that much fun in a decade. But he looks barely twenty-five years old! How is that possible?"

"And his reflexes are incredible. He's a mere _human_, and yet he can fight with his sword almost as well as I can. How does he do that?"

"Not to mention his sword." Kagome took a sip of soda. "The thing's four feet long, and yet he wields it like it weighs nothing."

"His sword's definitely not normal. Tetsusaiga would cut right through a normal metal sword, but just glances right off that one. What's the deal?"

Someone behind them hissed "Shut up! I can't hear the movie!"

Kagome blushed and lowered her voice. "Why does he have so much money? He can't get THAT much for killing people. He must be getting it from somewhere else."

"But where? Where would he get that kind of money? What do you humans do for money around here, besides go to buildings all day?"

"I don't know. I really don't know." She ate some popcorn. "You know what? Let's ask him all these questions after we leave. We'll ask him all at once and surprise him! What do you think?"

"Feh. You can do it if you want. I don't think he'll answer any of them."

Inuyasha's hand reached into the bucket of popcorn, but Kagome had just reached into it as well. By reflex, Inuyasha's hand grabbed Kagome's. She gave a frightened squeak of surprise and tried to withdraw, but Inuyasha stopped her. She looked up and noticed their faces were just inches apart. She looked into his deep golden eyes. He took his other hand and slowly slid it into the bucket until it clasped around her hand again. He lifted her hand out of the bucket and held it between them, in a supplicating sort of way.

"Inuyasha..." she whispered, so softly that only he could hear. "I..."

"Shh..." He brought her hand close to him. _I can't believe I'm doing this. Correction: I can't believe she's letting me do this. Since when do I feel this way about her?_

Kagome stared into his eyes. _This is incredible. I thought he despised me. What's going on? Does he feel that way...about me?_

"Kagome..." he whispered. She blinked, startled. _Kagome? Not 'wench' or 'bitch' or 'girl', but 'Kagome'? I can't remember the last time he called me that... _Slowly, she started to lower her head toward his.

__

Is she doing what I think she's doing?? Inuyasha wondered. _If she is...that's just... _He began to lower his head to meet hers.

Their faces were inches apart. Kagome closed her eyes. _Oh gods, is he really going to do this?...I hope so. _They were a millimeter apart – 

"Guys! This is the best part. See, the hero just called down an orbital strike to demolish the evil villain's base, and now he has to outrun the tribe of headhunters without his plasma rifle because – Guys?" Tobias looked at a very blushing Kagome and a very angry Inuyasha.

"What?"

*A look in Kagome's head* _We were so close...Tobias, you have the worst timing in the world._

*A look in Inuyasha's head* _AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!!!!!!!! I WAS THIS CLOSE!!!!_

*A look in Tobias's head* _What did I say?_

Yeah. Tobias may be a good fighter, but he's a clod sometimes. Thanks for the two reviews. Review PLEEEASE!


	4. Some More Messing Around Town

Oh gee. Two whole reviews. My life is complete. I've never actually seen Kenshin, but I'll check it out. On to the story!

Chapter 4: Some More Messing Around Town

The movie ended eventually. Inuyasha, Tobias, and Kagome walked out. Inuyasha was in a huff, Kagome was in a daze, and Tobias was in a state of bewilderment.

"Anyway." They both looked at Tobias. "Now that the movie's over, I know a great club we could go to. It's a party 24 hours a day! What do you say?"

Kagome leaned over to Inuyasha. "You can't sulk about this all day. Let's just go and enjoy ourselves," she whispered. She dropped her voice even lower. "You'll get another chance."

Inuyasha reeled. _I totally did not expect that. I thought that the whole thing was over when Tobias interrupted us. This is good. This is very good._ He forced himself to grin. "Okay, I guess you're right, Kagome," he said. "We'll have _fun_." He stressed the last word. Tobias, apparently, did not notice.

"Great! Let's go."

Much later, they were wandering fruitlessly around the city. Tobias was thoroughly lost, and Kagome didn't have a map.

"I know it's around here someplace..." Tobias muttered. "If I could just find it."

"Just ask someone already!" Kagome whined. _Geez, what is it with men and asking for directions?_

"It's not that easy, Kagome," he said, turning to her. "It's...well, it's an underground place. Keeps out the riffraff. Very few people know where it is."

"And you're not one of them," Inuyasha grumbled quietly. Kagome heard him and let out a burst of laughter. Tobias turned.

"What is it this time?" No response. "Fine. Be that way then. But I'll find this place eventually." He stalked out towards the shadows of the back streets. Kagome and Inuyasha followed him.

After more searching through the disheveled alleys, Tobias spotted a door.

"I do believe we're in luck. This is the place. Now let's just-" That thought was cut short by the click of a hammer being cocked. Tobias whirled to see a teenager standing about ten feet away, holding a .45 magnum.

"Careful, son, you could put an eye out with that." Tobias did not move, but his hand came to rest on the grip of his sword. "What's your beef?"

The kid spoke. "You're the famous Kyoten, right?" His voice was shaky. He couldn't have been more than seventeen or eighteen.

With a flourish, Tobias tore off his outer clothes to reveal the regal robes and obsidian armor. "Recognized me by the armor, huh?"

"No, actually, it was the sword." The boy was visibly shaking now, and he had to steady his grip on the gun. "I've been sent to take you out."

"Have you now." Tobias drew his sword. Inuyasha took Kagome by the hand and pulled her to a safer place, away from the two others. "That's terrifying. I've beaten fully trained squads of hitmen, and you think you can defeat me with a pistol?"

The boy did not respond, but raised his other hand and gripped his gun tightly. He fired a shot. Tobias, however, was long gone. He sailed over the kid's head and dashed into the shadows. The kid whipped around and fired several more shots into the alley that Tobias had ducked into.

Silence.

Then the boy felt cold metal against his throat. Tobias had sneaked up behind him and was now holding his sword against the boy's neck. He struggled for a second, then remained perfectly still.

"Drop it," commanded Tobias. He dropped the gun. "Now you'll see what happens when you try to take on people who are _way_ out of your league." He pressed his sword tighter against the boy's throat.

"You're new at this...right?" Terrified, the boy nodded. "Thought so. If you had experience, you would have fired first and asked questions later. Try not to make that mistake in the future." A single drop of blood appeared on the boy's throat.

"Please don't kill me," he begged. "I don't wanna die."

"Then you shouldn't go into this line of work." Tobias considered him for a second, then withdrew the sword. Before the boy could bolt, he smacked him over the head with the flat of his blade. The boy dropped to the pavement.

"What...just...happened?" Kagome came out of the corner with some apprehension. "He's not dead, is he?"

"No, he'll live. Just some kid who thought he could make a few bucks by taking down the champ." Tobias looked with – was it pity? – down at the boy. "But if he ever pulls that stunt again, he's gonna be missing a few limbs. So." He sheathed his sword and gestured grandly towards the door. "Shall we?" Kagome and Inuyasha looked at each other, shrugged, and went inside.

Inside, it really was a party. The center of the _huge_ room was dominated by a dance floor, filled with people moving and shaking to the beat of a band that was set on a stage. The stage extended past the band, and a lone microphone stood on the pedestal. Currently, nobody was using it. People were laughing and talking and drinking. There were tables of food and punch along the walls, and couches and sofas littered the floor. There were televisions and pool tables and card tables and all sorts of entertainment. Kagome and Inuyasha took a few steps in, but were halted by a burly man in a jacket.

"You guys got passes to come in here?" A stub of cigar hung from his lips. "Or are you just wasting my time?" He chomped on his cigar and blew some smoke in Inuyasha's face. He blinked and growled.

"Kagome..." he muttered. "What's this guy doing?"

"I think he's a bouncer," Kagome whispered. "He only lets certain people in."

"Well?! Are ya gonna show me your passes, or will I have ta throw you out?!" Tobias walked up. "An' who's this guy in the Halloween costume? You got a pass, buddy?"

"Not as such...but I have something much better." The bouncer started to protest, but Tobias swiftly pulled out a wad of bills and stuffed it into the bouncer's jacket pocket. "That should do the trick."

The cigar fell from the bouncer's lips. His expression changed, from annoyed to amazed, then swiftly to cheerful. "Right this way..._sir_." He gestured for Tobias to come in, but quickly interposed himself between Tobias and Kagome. "You two ain't got passes. Get outta here."

"Oh, they're with me," Tobias called back. The bouncer stood, shocked, then stepped aside.

"I'm sorry; sir, madam, I did not know you were with this gentleman. Please, follow him." He bowed towards the room. Inuyasha looked at him, puzzled, then walked over to Tobias. Tobias laughed.

"You got to know how to work these people. Now, I'm in the mood for some dancing. You?" Kagome thought for a minute.

"Yeah...sure. Dancing will be fun."

Inuyasha looked up quickly. "Dancing? I don't know how to–ulp!" Kagome grabbed him and tugged him towards the stage with Tobias.

"Neither do I, but it'll be fun just the same. Just make something up," Kagome shouted over the noise.

Tobias wrinkled his nose. "That tune the band's playing is cramping my style. I got a request I'd like to make." They arrived on the stand. Tobias walked over to the band and had a brief discussion with the lead trumpet. The musician balked, but Tobias pulled out some more money and flung it to the band. They fell silent instantly. Tobias came back to Inuyasha and Kagome.

"Come on, guys. Have some fun for once. You didn't like the movie, try this instead." Tobias said cheerfully.

Kagome looked at Inuyasha, who shrugged his shoulders. "Okay..." she said. "I'll give it a try."

Review. Please? Even to say "YOU SUCK". Okay, maybe not that. But review. (FYI, anyone who actually reviews to say "YOU SUCK" will be fatally ignored.)


	5. The Dance and Another Battle

Hi, all. Finally got the new chapter done. It's longer than the rest, so be happy. Another whole review. I'm on fire here. Why won't you review? Please? I promise to get these things done faster if you just REVIEW! Anyway. To the story! (trumpets blow)

Chapter 5: The Dance and Another Battle

The band struck up a fast-paced swing hit. Tobias danced wildly around. He was a rotten dancer. Kagome watched him in bewilderment. _How can a guy so light on his feet in battle be such a klutz dancing?_ Nevertheless, she joined in with what little dance skills she had. Inuyasha stared at the two of them for several minutes, not sure whether to grab Kagome and run or stay and try... 'dancing'. He was abruptly pulled from these thoughts as Kagome reached out and yanked him over. Now all three of them were dancing around on the stage, sort of to the beat of the music. But not really.

__

Why am I letting her do this? Inuyasha wondered as Kagome flung him around. She stumbled right into him, he instinctively caught her and held her. _Oh yeah. Now I get it._ He let go a second later, and began trying to 'dance'. After a few minutes, he really got the hang of it.

Not so for Tobias. Kagome was desperately trying not to laugh when she saw his outrageous attempts to dance to the music. He did a complete 360, tripped, and fell flat on his face. He leaped back up and resumed. "Here!" Tobias shouted. He grabbed Kagome and started to dance with her. "Let me have a turn." His prodigious strength allowed him to try complex maneuvers. He twirled Kagome through the air, he leaped over her head and landed on the other side. All this without any style at all, but he was giving it a good effort.

Inuyasha, however, seemed to think differently. When Tobias caught Kagome, Inuyasha's ears flattened down and he bared his teeth. _What does he think he's doing? Dancing with Kagome! He's got some nerve, taking her from me!_ He stopped and realized. _What am I thinking?_

"Inuyasha!" yelled Tobias. He shoved Kagome back towards him. "Your turn again." Inuyasha caught Kagome awkwardly and stood there for a second. "Come on, Inuyasha!" Tobias bellowed. "Have some fun! Flip around! Jump up and down! Do a loop-the-loop!" They remained still. "Well, do SOMETHING already! I'm falling asleep here!" Tobias roared.

"K-Kagome?" Inuyasha said. "What do you want to do?"

"Well, dance! Look at everyone else. They're not embarrassed! You shouldn't be either."

"Okay..." Taking her hand, Inuyasha began to dance to the beat. He picked up fast, and was soon twisting and twirling as he and Kagome pirouetted around the stage. Once or twice, he caught himself actually laughing. He didn't do that a lot. When the song ended, Kagome was breathless with exertion and laughter, but he was barely winded, being a hanyou and all. The band started another song, this one was slow. Tobias walked up to them.

"What a wonderfully humiliating experience! I must have had everybody in the place staring at me. These slow songs aren't my style, I'm gonna get a snack at the bar. Do whatever you want." He hurried off. Kagome looked at Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha? Do you want to slow-dance?"

"What's slow-dancing?" he asked.

"I'll show you," she said, blushing slightly. She took his hand and wrapped her other arm around his back. She began to lead him in a slow circle. "Do you get it?" she whispered.

__

Hmm...I could get used to this. "I get it," he whispered back. He began to move with her. (A/N: I don't know any good romantic songs to make this chapter a songfic, just think of a good one playing in the background as you read.) They slowly moved to the tune of the music playing in the background, as thoughts flew through both of their minds.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome whispered.

"mm?"

"Tell me what you think about me." The question hit him like a fierce slash from a youkai. _What I think about her? What can I say? If I tell her what I really think, she'll run away._ "Kagome..." he began.

"Kagome, at first when I saw you, I saw Kikyo. I saw a shard detector, and nothing more. I didn't care about you, or anything." He looked down at her face and saw her lower her head in sadness. "Kagome! I'm not done." She looked back up at him. "That was before. Over the time I've known you, I've learned a lot more about you. I know you're not just a miko who could help me, I know that you're..." He trailed off.

"I'm what, Inuyasha?" she whispered.

"You're...my..."

"Hey guys, want some punch? I think somebody spiked it, but one or two cups should be fine." It was Tobias again. He had appeared at their side, carrying cups of punch with him. Inuyasha clammed up and looked away. Kagome blushed.

"What is it this time? What's with you two anyway?" Tobias tried to move in closer, but Inuyasha firmly and deliberately steered Kagome away. Tobias stood there. "What did I say?"

"Tobias again," Inuyasha almost growled. "Is he determined to always come between us or something?"

"No, I think he's just a dork sometimes," Kagome said. They both smiled at that. "Let's just enjoy the rest of the dance." Inuyasha inhaled deeply of her scent, then smiled again and resumed dancing. The song ended later. They left together and walked over to Tobias, who was snacking by the bar.

"You two done yet?" Inuyasha nodded slightly. "Good. Let's go home. It's midnight, and you especially, Kagome, you need to get some rest." She shot a glare at him.

"And why me? Am I just some weak girl?"

"No...but you looked exhausted after all that dancing. Besides...well, let's just go home." Tobias walked away and the two followed him. Inuyasha's hand edged closer to Kagome's; when they touched, she recoiled instinctively. This caused him to pull back as well, and they left, keeping their distance from each other. It was as if they were embarrassed for what had earlier happened.

All three of them walked out into the cool spring air. A faint breeze blew, whipping some discarded newspaper along with it. The harsh light of the streetlamps was outshone by the soft glow of the full moon. Tobias pulled Inuyasha aside.

"Remember that little kid that attacked me before we went in?" he muttered.

"Yeah. What about it?"

"Well, I recognized the insignia on his pistol. He's part of the 49th Street gang that lives around here."

"So?"

"So the members of that gang don't deal well with those that fail their missions. They often torture and kill them. Especially for messing up such an important job like going after me."

Inuyasha stared. "Does that mean...they..."

"Not exactly. Remember how I came in to the club a minute or so after you and Kagome did? During then, I snuck him over to a vacant alley and finished him off. Quick and painless. The best fate he could have had, considering."

Inuyasha looked at him. Killing demons was fine and dandy, but defenseless, harmless boys? Tobias seemed to hear his thoughts, and spoke up again. "One of my many qualities, good or bad, is that I have no qualms about killing. I won't go on a massacre, but if it needs to be done, I'll do it. I didn't tell Kagome because I don't think she'd like to hear it."

"Yeah...she probably wouldn't." Inuyasha was deep in thought. _Just what is this guy? He'll kill people just like that. Even I'm not that bad! At least, my human side isn't. My youkai half..._ He shuddered involuntarily at thinking about the death and mayhem his demonic side had caused.

"Another reason I wanted to go is that more people from that gang are probably out to get me too, and I want to leave before I attract any more attention."

"It's a little late for that." Tobias turned slowly to find himself, Inuyasha, and Kagome surrounded by about thirty men in suits. The words _49th Street_ were clearly emblazoned on their vest pockets. Kagome squealed and clung to Inuyasha. Inuyasha was surprised, but not too scared. After all, these were just men. What could they possibly do?

Tobias looked at them all and smiled. "Evening, gentlemen. What can I do for you?"

"You could die," one of them barked. Kagome trembled. "We've been trying to get rid of you for months, Kyoten. Or should I say, Tobias." A flicker crossed Tobias's features. But an instant later, he was back to normal. "We sent a boy out to get you a while ago, but it seems he failed. When we looked for him, we found he had already been...taken care of." Kagome's eyes widened. _Did he...did he kill...that boy?_

"Do with me what you will, gentlemen," Tobias began. "But leave these two-" – he jerked his head in Inuyasha and Kagome's direction – "out of it. This is between you and me."

Inuyasha grumbled. "Tobias, I can fight just as well as you and you know it. I'm not gonna stand on the sidelines while you hog the glory."

Tobias gave him a long look. "Will you be prepared to kill all these men?" he whispered. "Because that's what I'm going to have to do." Inuyasha glared at him, then pulled Kagome away. The circle of men parted as they went through. Kagome hid behind a dumpster. Inuyasha stood, watching the fight.

"Well, gentlemen, are you prepared to fight? Because if you do, you realize you are facing a mighty foe indeed." He gave them all a long, hard look. "If anyone wants to leave now and be spared, they may do so. I will not follow them." Three men broke ranks and fled. The rest shouted at them.

"Fools, cowards! We will kill you when we finish with him!"

The fleeing ones shouted back over their shoulders. "You'll never survive fighting him!..." They vanished into the gloom. Tobias faced the remaining gang members.

"The wise ones leave. But I will give you one last chance." He unsheathed his sword, which glittered strangely in the lamplight. The breeze picked up and his cape fluttered in the wind. He did look very impressive. "My promise holds. Leave now and live." Two more people ran from the circle. The remaining ones started to yell again.

"Traitors! We will have you gutted!"

"My goodwill ends now," said Tobias sharply. He struck a fighting pose. The men closed the gaps in the circle, closing in on Tobias. They pulled out swords, knives, guns, various weapons. "Now you will understand why I am the most feared assassin in all the world. And you will also understand why sneaking up behind me is a very bad idea." As he said this, he flipped his sword over his shoulder and pressed the blade into the throat of a man who was about to stab him in the back. Tobias pulled down on the hilt, causing the man to rise up into the air as the tip of Tobias's blade lifted him up. But for all that, he had not drawn any blood.

"Gentlemen, you see before you a man balanced on the point of my sword. With just the lightest twitch of my blade, I could rip his head off. So you tell me. Shall he live, or shall he die?"

The rest of them looked on, stunned. The man behind Tobias had absolute terror written all over him as he tried to remain perfectly still. "Well?" Tobias asked. "No response? Very well. He shall..." He looked at Kagome, who gave him a death glare. "...live." Tobias slammed the hilt of his sword against his shoulder. The man behind him went flying through the air and landed in a heap outside the circle. He shakily stood up, took one look at Tobias, and ran as if the devil were after him.

"So, gentlemen. Shall we dance?" The men charged him with a roar. The gunmen let loose a fusillade of bullets, the swordsmen closed in menacingly. But Tobias was long gone. He leaped high into the air, slaying one man on his way up, and two more as he came crashing down. He slipped in and out of his pursuer's reach, cutting down men all the way. Tobias grabbed one swordsman and yanked him in front of him just as another man unloaded his machine gun on Tobias. His human shield took the bullets, and the gunner soon fell to Tobias's sword. Soon, all the gunmen were dead and only the sword-wielders were left. They formed another, smaller circle around Tobias.

Tobias looked around him. About fifteen swordsmen, thoroughly enraged, circled around him. None seemed willing to make the first move. A wide grin broke out on Tobias's face.

"This is excellent! This is my second major fight in as many days! I haven't had this much fun in years!" He threw his head back and laughed wildly. Inuyasha stared at him. _Either this guy is insane, or...no, he's definitely insane._

They all attacked at once. Tobias swung his sword around a full circle, blocking all their attacks at once. Tobias ducked low and slashed the legs out from under one man; then barreled through the circle, slicing another as he went. He parried, dodged, lashed out with his sword as he bobbed and weaved his way through them. Tobias dove, rolled, leaped up and skewered two men on his sword. He pulled the blade out just in time to slash another approaching from behind.

Eventually, there was only one left. He stood, trembling at the sight of his fallen comrades, while Tobias didn't even have a scratch.

"Wh...what are you?" he whispered.

"I am the most powerful swordsman you will ever meet in your soon-to-be-cut-short lifetime." Tobias said assuringly. He turned away. "There's several reasons why I don't ever lose." While his back was turned, the remaining man lunged at Tobias and thrust his sword right into Tobias's back. He heard a dull clank as something very hard blocked his way. Armor. The bastard was wearing armor!

"That's one reason." In a flash, Tobias had the man balanced on the tip of his sword by his throat, like he had before. "This is another one." Kagome couldn't watch. She squeezed her eyes shut as she heard an awful ripping sound. She opened one eye slightly to see Tobias cleaning the blood off his sword. She came out hesitantly.

"Tobias?" she squeaked. "You killed...that boy?"

"Which boy?" he asked.

"The one with the gun. The one who attacked you before we went into the club," Inuyasha broke in.

"Kagome, he was part of the 49th Street gang. Let me explain what they do to people who fail. They-"

"You killed a helpless little boy!" she shrieked at him.

"KAGOME!" Tobias shouted. She quieted down. "If I hadn't killed him, this is what would have happened. He would have been tortured for ten days, had his arms and legs broken with a club, and been drawn and quartered."

"Tobias...I didn't know."

"I know you didn't know. What I did for him was the best thing I could have done. Kagome, you have to understand." He approached her. "I did that because I didn't want him to suffer. He didn't feel a thing. I'm sorry I had to do it, but there was no other way." He turned to Inuyasha. "Take her home. I'm going back to my place. I'll see you in the morning." He sheathed his sword and strode off into the dark.

Yeah, he's not all peaches and cream. And he is most definitely NOT a Gary Stu-type perfect character. Believe it or not, there actually is a plot to this story, but it'll take me awhile to get there. Just bear with me. And please review.


	6. A Whole Lotta Things Happen In This Here...

Whoopsie. Forgot to add the little opening and closing tag things when I first uploaded. Oh well. 9 reviews! *Bursts into tears* You love me! You really love me! Just a few more and I put up the next chapter! Oh, and to Kai19: You know, that's not a bad idea...*grins evilly* TO THE STORY!

Chapter 6: A Whole Lotta Things Happen In This Here Chapter

A minute later, a taxi drove up to the street nearest Inuyasha and Kagome and honked until they got in. The cabbie was a gruff, surly, bearded man who chomped on a stubby cigar.

"Some guy called Tobias sent me here," he grumbled. "Gave me lotsa money to drive you home. Where do ya live?" Kagome gave him her address, and the cab sped off into the night. Inuyasha settled uncomfortably in the dingy backseat, and Kagome sat next to him. A few minutes into the ride, Inuyasha realized she wasn't talking.

"Kagome? You okay?" he asked. He turned to look and was shocked to see that she was crying. "Kagome! What's wrong? What happened?"

She turned to him with tears in her eyes. "He killed him..." she whispered. "Tobias killed that little boy."

"But Kagome-" She cut him off with a pained outburst. "He's dead, he's dead, Tobias killed him, he was younger than me and Tobias killed him, he's dead, Tobias..." Her voice broke.

"Kagome...it was for the best. You heard what they would've done to him. You know that and I know that. Please, Kagome...you have to forgive him." She tried to glare at him, but she just couldn't. She had stopped crying, but tears still glistened on her cheeks.

"Why?" she said, so softly that even Inuyasha could barely hear her.

"I...I don't know...but you should..." Now Inuyasha was thinking to himself. _Why **should** she? I'd better tell her...I've been wondering about this myself since the moment I met him._ "Ever since I met this guy, Kagome, it's like there's been some sort of...some sort of connection between us. Like I knew him once or something. I'm not sure why, or what it's about, but...I don't know. But you should give him another chance. That I'm sure of. Don't cry, Kagome. What he did was the right thing." Kagome was clearly still upset, but she managed a watery smile.

"I...I understand, Inuyasha." She rested her head on his shoulder. He almost flinched, but held himself back. _Why am I so touchy around her? Didn't we just dance like this a few minutes ago?_ He relaxed. Putting his arm around her shoulder, the cab sped into the darkness.

A little while later, they were deposited back at Kagome's house. Inuyasha burst inside to find Mama drinking coffee. She turned to look at him just as Kagome walked in.

"Kagome, this is the second night in a row you've come in past midnight. Why do you stay out so late with this 'Tobias'?" she asked irritably.

"Mama...we just went to a movie and then we went dancing. Tobias went to his house...I guess. He got us a taxi to come home," Kagome said.

Inuyasha looked a bit puzzled. "But what about-"

"OSUWARI!"

Thud.

"What was that for?!" Inuyasha growled, annoyed after his meeting with Mr. Ground.

"Nothing. Just get ready for bed." Kagome swept upstairs. Inuyasha, puzzled, looked at Mama for an answer. She didn't have one either. He shrugged and went upstairs to Sota's room.

"INUYASHA!" Sota leaped on the hanyou's back and started jumping around. "You're gonna sleep in my room tonight! It'll be so cool! We can play video games and read comics and you can tell me all about what you do with Kagome! It'll be the best night ever!" _Enthusiastic little squirt,_ Inuyasha thought. _Staying with him will keep my mind off the battle._

*The next morning*

Sota had kept Inuyasha up all night with his games and comics and such. After a leisurely breakfast, Inuyasha and Kagome watched some TV. Inuyasha still had trouble dealing with the TV. He could never get used to the fact that there were little people inside that box. They had just started to watch _Titanic_ when Mama walked into the room.

"Oh, Kagome! I almost forgot. There's a letter for you."

"Thanks, Mama," Kagome said blandly, taking the envelope. "Who's it from?"

"Well...I don't know. There's no return address, just a little stamp." Kagome looked at the envelope. On the place where the return address should have been, there was a small insignia of a tongue of fire.

"Oh! It's from Tobias." She ripped open the envelope. Inuyasha stirred and looked to see what the letter said. It read:

"Dear Kagome and Inuyasha,

I'm sorry about what happened last night. I hope you can forgive me for it.

...

On a lighter note, how about meeting me for dinner tonight? Around 6 I'll come over and pick you guys up. I'm leaving for a job tomorrow, so this will probably be the last chance we have to see each other.

See ya!

Tobias

J "

"He puts a smiley face on his letters?" Kagome giggled. "A smiley face? That's great!"

"Yeah...great..." Inuyasha was thinking. _There's something about her today. Her scent has changed. I can't tell exactly how, but there's definitely something different about her._ Kagome's voice jogged him out of his train of thought.

"He said he's leaving for a job tomorrow. We might not get to see him again," said Kagome. "Let's take him up on it."

"Sure." Inuyasha was mightily puzzled. What was this odd new scent coming from Kagome? It seemed familiar, but exactly what it was eluded him.

Inuyasha and Kagome puttered around the house until Tobias drove out in front, in a shiny black limo. Inuyasha noticed something different about him. He had this little stick in his mouth. The end was on fire, and some sort of smoke was coming from it. Inuyasha stepped closer and inhaled some of it.

He was overwhelmed by a terrible stench and started coughing and spluttering, while Tobias and Kagome looked at him oddly. "That thing's poison!" he growled. Holding his breath, he lashed out with one long claw and sliced the fire-stick clean in half. Tobias recoiled at the near attack, then recovered with an angry look.

"What did you do that for? If you wanted me to put it out, you could have just asked." Kagome moved closer to Inuyasha. He couldn't smell that strange scent of hers anymore, the fumes from the fire-stick had overwhelmed it.

"There was poison coming from that thing!" he snarled. Kagome looked at him for a second, then her face brightened.

"Well..._technically_, yes..." Tobias muttered.

"Oh! I forgot you didn't know about cigarettes," Kagome said. "Let me explain to you..." It took a while, but the two of them finally managed to explain to Inuyasha what cigarettes were. After she was done, she turned to Tobias.

"Since when do you smoke?"

"Since they were invented." Tobias took a box of cigarettes out of his pocket. With a practiced move, he popped the lid and flicked his wrist. A single cigarette flew out of the box and went through the air. The box went back into his pocket and his other hand pulled out a lighter and flared it to life. He caught the cigarette with his lips, lit it, then flipped the lighter back into his pocket.

Tobias caught odd looks from Inuyasha and Kagome. "All right," he said. "There's no fooling you. Since about five years ago." He inhaled some smoke, then blew it out his nose.

"How is it you smoke and yet still stay so agile?" Kagome asked.

"Just lucky, I guess." He shrugged his shoulders. "Time to go, folks. We'll have dinner when we get to the city." They piled in and drove off.

As they were in the car, Inuyasha smelled that strange scent again from Kagome. _What **is** that? I definitely recognize it, but not what it is..._ He sighed and leaned back into the plush seat. Eventually, they arrived in the city. The limo sped off, and the three of them started searching for a restaurant.

"What sort of food do you like, Inuyasha?" Tobias asked. He flicked his cigarette into a garbage bin.

"Umm...I'm not sure. What kinds are...there..." Suddenly, Inuyasha finally realized what had been aggravating him these past few hours. Kagome was in heat. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth in frustration.

__

Oh great, like I really need this. Took me long enough to realize it. Wonder why? I didn't even ask Kagome yet if she wanted to be my...what's the word? Not mate...girlfriend? Is that what she called it that one time? And Tobias is watching us like a hawk. What am I supposed to do? Make some stupid excuse? "Kagome," he said softly. She turned to look at him.

He swallowed. _This is always tough. What am I supposed to say?_ "I..." he began, but was cut off as a bus roared past, spewing exhaust fumes everywhere. The stink overwhelmed his sensitive nose and freed him, for the moment, from Kagome's alluring scent. He coughed, then began again. "I think I left something back at your house."

"Inuyasha? What do you have that you would leave there?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha was acting strangely again. He did this every once in a while.

"Umm...well...I forgot what it is, but I know I left something. I'll just go back and get it." _Dammit, girl. Why do you have to be so nosy?_ "I'll be back soon." He turned to leave.

"Wait!" Kagome ran up closer to him. "I'll come with you. Tobias can come too, right Tobias?"

"Yeah...sure." Tobias was giving Inuyasha odd looks.

__

No! You're ruining everything! "Don't worry about me, wench. I can take care of myself. I'll be back in just a few hours." _Or maybe I'll get 'lost' along the way and come back when your heat is over._

"Inuyasha?" Kagome was right next to him now. "Why are you acting so weird? Is it something I did? Did you really forget something? You can tell me."

"Kagome's right, Inuyasha." Tobias had come to join them. "What's with you anyway? You look like you just caught some odd smell in the air or something." _Since when did Tobias get so goddamned good at noticing these things? Next thing you know, he'll be telling everybody what it is._ Tobias took a few whiffs of the air. "I don't smell anything. With my weak human senses, that's no surprise." _Now he's mocking me. This guy can get really annoying sometimes._

"But wait...now that I mention it..." Tobias seemed to catch on to something in the air. "Mmm...haven't done that in a _long_ time." _He had better the **fuck** not be talking about what I think he's talking about._ "I can smell something...it's almost enticing." Tobias began to follow this mysterious smell. "It's just about that time, too. I'm all ready for some." Inuyasha began to growl low in his throat.

Tobias walked around some more, and there was no doubt, heading towards Kagome. She was standing next to a building, utterly puzzled by the two men. Well, the man and the hanyou, anyway. Tobias approached her. Inuyasha glared at him as he came towards Kagome with a...a..._hungry_ expression.

"I've waited far too long for this," he whispered. He closed the remaining distance between him and Kagome, and was about to grab her arm when Inuyasha leaped between them with a growl. "Oh, what is it this time?" Tobias muttered.

"I won't let you...do that to her," Inuyasha growled menacingly.

Tobias looked confused. "Do what? To Kagome? What the hell are you talking about?"

Inuyasha instantly went to the defensive. "Umm...I thought...that you were..."

Tobias pointed up. Inuyasha looked up and saw a sign that said 'Greasy Moe's House of Bar-B-Q'. "I haven't had a good pile of pork ribs in ages," Tobias said. "Kagome was standing in front of the door."

Now Inuyasha really felt stupid. _Of course! I should have known that he wouldn't have been able to smell her heat. All things considered, he's still a weak human who can't see, smell, or hear anything. _"Never mind," he said shortly. "You wanted to eat at this place?"

"Yeah. This should be good." Tobias almost took Kagome's arm, then thought better of it and gestured for her to go in. Inuyasha followed. _At least, in here, there'll be the smell of food to cover up her heat._

"I thought you needed to get something at Kagome's house." "Shut up!"

"Tobias?" Inuyasha pulled him aside while Kagome got a table. "You want to know what's bothering me?"

"What is it?"

"Kagome's...in heat." Inuyasha muttered. Tobias had a blank look. "You know...she's getting ready to..." He gulped. "...mate." Tobias looked like he understood, but his brow furrowed.

"Humans don't do that. At least I thought they didn't..."

"I don't think other humans can smell it, but I can. It's driving me crazy." Suddenly, Inuyasha was hit by an idea. "Tobias! You know those little fiery-smoke stick things of yours?"

"My cigarettes? What about them?"

"Well...if you have one during dinner, then you can help me."

"How?"

"When I need a break from her scent, I'll tell you or something and you'll blow smoke in my face. Get it?" A look of comprehension dawned on Tobias's face.

"Simple...yet insane. I like it. Sure," Tobias said gleefully. Kagome walked over.

"If you two are done yet, we have a table. By the way, Inuyasha..." Her eyes twinkled. "It's All-You-Can-Eat night tonight."

*A few platefuls later*

"Twenty-nine pounds of pork ribs. That's gotta be some sort of record," Tobias remarked. "Where do you put it all? Do you digest it the instant it goes down your throat?" Inuyasha did not respond, but instead attacked the chocolate cakes he had gotten for dessert. Tobias turned to Kagome. "How much food does this guy eat?"

"Actually, this is about average for Inuyasha," she giggled. She looked at him, but he was deeply absorbed in his cake. At least, he looked like it.

__

I think this plan of mine did more harm than good. I'm practically choking to death here. He floated back into reality. Tobias was talking.

"You certainly took your time, too. It's 11:45. You'd better skeedaddle." Tobias paid the bill and they all walked out together.

Walking through the alleyways, Kagome trembled and held Inuyasha to her. Since it was dark, she did not see him bite his lip and clamp his eyes shut in an attempt to keep his cool. Her scent was right there, right there...

"Inuyasha..." she whispered fearfully. "It's midnight and there are robbers out again. I'm scared. I almost got hurt last time..."

"Relax, Kagome," said Inuyasha in a strained tone. He pushed her away, and his voice returned to normal. "I'm more than a match for any humans that are out here. None of them can take me down. Oh," he added as an afterthought, "there's Tobias too. He's a pretty good swordsman."

"And is he a man to encounter Tybalt?"

Tobias's gaze flicked up and saw a man standing on the roof of a building. He leaped down in front of them, blocking their path. In the gloom of the night, it had been hard to tell what he looked like, but the streetlamp illuminating revealed his features. He wore a skin-tight bodysuit, black except for two crossed swords patterned on his chest. He wore two swords at his waist as well.

"Why, what is Tybalt?" countered Tobias.

The man advanced on them and began speaking slowly, going faster as he went along. "More than Prince of Cats, I can tell you. O, he's the courageous captain of compliments. He fights as you sing pricksong; keeps time, distance, and proportion; rests minim rests; one, two, and the third in your bosom! The very butcher of a silk button, a duelist, a duelist! A gentleman of the very first house, of the first and second cause. Ah, the immortal _passado_!" He drew one sword. "The _punto reverso_!" The second sword was drawn. He lowered his voice. "The _hay_."

"The what?" said Tobias. He was going along with the whole thing with an amused expression. Inuyasha was bewildered; Kagome faintly recognized the man's speech from something she'd read.

"You'll see." And with that, Tybalt charged and brought both swords down on Tobias, who barely had time to block them with his own blade. A furious swordfight ensued.

The two combatants clashed blades like nothing Kagome had ever seen. She barely registered their movements as they attacked each other. Inuyasha watched with a practiced eye; he saw many of their styles and maneuvers and vowed to incorporate them into his own fighting style. These two were _serious_: when a blow missed and hit the ground, it cracked the concrete underneath. Kagome gasped, nobody noticed.

This new man, Tybalt; was not just good, he was _showy_. Tobias swept his sword down to catch Tybalt in the legs; the other man jumped in the air and brought one of his swords down to block. He balanced on the tip of his sword while bringing his other sword to parry another fierce attack from Tobias. Somehow, Tybalt leaped away and landed nimbly on his toes.

"Now you're just showing off." Tobias grinned. "Three fights in three days? I haven't had so much fun in a while."

Tybalt cracked a faint smile. "You think this is fun?"

"Yeah, it's been ages since I've had good opponents like you and him," Tobias said, jerking a thumb in Inuyasha's direction.

"Well, I'll be the last in that case, unless the dead can fight," retorted Tybalt. He charged at Tobias again, nearly knocking him off his feet. Tobias was apparently giving his all, but he was gradually losing ground to Tybalt. Kagome looked at Inuyasha.

"Aren't you going to help him? What if he gets hurt?"

"Feh. He can take care of himself." As if to refute that statement, Tybalt landed a slash across Tobias's back that caused him to drop to one knee and cry out in pain. "All right, wench, I'll give him a hand." Inuyasha dived in and just parried a strong downward stroke from Tybalt that would have decapitated Tobias. At the intrusion of Inuyasha, Tybalt backed off hurriedly.

"What wouldst thou have with me?" he said in a gravelly voice.

Inuyasha was confused. "What do you mean?"

Tybalt gave him an odd look. Suddenly, he was forced to block as Tobias's sword came crashing down to meet him.

"Good King of Cats, no more than one of your nine lives. That I mean to make bold withal, and as you shall use me hereafter, dry-beat the rest of the eight." Tobias had a glimmer in his eyes as he spoke, and freshly renewed his attack on Tybalt; with a growl, so did Inuyasha.

Tybalt found himself on the receiving end of two quite deadly swords and two quite experienced wielders. Only with his two swords was he able to defend himself. He put up a good fight for a few minutes; but Inuyasha attacked with his youkai ferocity, and Tobias fought with vengeance in his eyes. It was obvious that he couldn't win. Tybalt suddenly jumped high in the air, twirling. He sheathed both swords in midair; and as he landed between the other two fighters, pulled out two pistols from some hidden pocket. One pressed against Tobias's forehead, one jammed against Inuyasha's.

"Let me introduce you to some friends that are very close to my heart," Tybalt sneered. "Just a little down and to the left, to be precise."

"Inuyasha..." Kagome hissed. "That thing he's pointing at you is a gun, and it can hurt you really badly. Just back off."

"Listen to your lady," Tybalt barked. "This isn't your fight. Leave now unless you have a serious death wish." Inuyasha growled and kept his stance. He raised his sword slightly.

"Osuwari!" Kagome shrieked.

Inuyasha smashed into the ground, growling and cursing. Tybalt looked impressed. "That's an interesting trick. Helps keep him in line, does it?"

"And as for you..." Tybalt holstered the pistol he had pointing at Inuyasha, but kept his other one aimed at Tobias.

"A gun? Isn't that sort of...cheating?" Tobias remarked, with just the slightest edge to his voice.

"Isn't attacking me both at once sort of...cheating, as well?"

"That wasn't my decision," muttered Tobias. "Besides, I thought you were a pure swordsman."

"I do what I have to do to win. There's no such thing as 'unfair fighting' in my book, just winning or dying," Tybalt countered.

"But surely you would not stoop so low as to use a _pistol_," Tobias shot back. "Would you?" Tybalt pondered this for a few seconds.

"Yes."

****

BANG!

Tobias's head snapped back from the force of the bullet. He staggered and fell on his back. His cape fluttered as he fell. He twitched briefly, and did not move again.

Ohh, this sucks. What will become of poor Tobias? Find out, in the exciting next chapter, "A Death and a Healing!"

Just kidding.


	7. A Very Long Night

Well now, well now. I'm actually getting things done a little quicker, seeing as how people actually are interested. My lackluster updates will be no more, if these amounts of reviews come in. But...a little blackmail is in order. I'll post the next chapter...when I get at least 20 reviews. Muhaha! Anyhoo. On to the story!

Chapter 7: A Very Long Night

Tybalt held the smoking gun for a second longer before putting it away and turning to a shocked Inuyasha and a terrified Kagome.

"My job is done here...so long." He ran into the shadows. Inuyasha tried to follow him; but somehow, even with his enhanced senses, tracking him was impossible. He appeared to have just vanished. He didn't even seem to have a scent. Inuyasha came back to Kagome, who was hunched over Tobias and crying. Blood was oozing from a small, circular hole in his forehead. His eyes showed no signs of life.

"He's dead," she sobbed. "Tybalt killed him."

Inuyasha came up to her. "Why do you care so much? We knew him for all of three days."

Kagome turned on him with a glare. "He was our friend!" she shrieked at Inuyasha. "He gave us money and took us to parties and was such a good guy..." She burst into fresh tears, almost howling with misery. "He just wanted to have fun," she whimpered.

Both of them were interrupted all of a sudden by a slight noise from Tobias. His eyes fluttered and he groaned.

"I'm not dead yet..." he said slowly, in a ragged voice. "I'm...hard to kill." He blinked a few times, then raised a shaking hand to wipe the blood off his forehead. "Do you...have a bandage...or something...?" Kagome grabbed her pack and began fumbling through it, looking for the medical supplies.

Tobias tried to sit up, but couldn't. Inuyasha pulled him up next to a wall and sat him up against it. Tobias reached into his pockets, pulled out a cigarette and a lighter, and held it up to his lips with a trembling hand as he attempted to light it. His arms went limp, the cigarette fell, the lighter clattered on the ground. His eyes glazed over. Kagome came back with a bandage and some disinfectant.

"Is he...dead?" she asked unsteadily.

"No, just unconscious. Kagome, how do we get him home?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome didn't know. Tobias always got them a limousine or a cab or something, but with him like this there was no clear way to get him anywhere.

"I..." she began, then she caught sight of a pay phone nearby. "A phone! Inuyasha, keep him steady." She ran over, deposited a few coins, and hastily dialed her mother's number. It rung a few times before someone answered.

"Hello?" Mama said, sounding like she just dragged herself out of bed.

"Mama, you have to come pick us up. We were in a fight and this guy came and Tobias got really hurt. We need you. When can you be here?"

There was a pregnant pause. "Soon. Where are you?"

Kagome gave the address and hung up. She rushed back to Inuyasha and Tobias. Tobias had established a grip on his consciousness, tenuous though it was. His eyes blinked open as Kagome came near.

"Kagome..." he said weakly. "You two...should get home...I'll be okay..."

"The hell you will," snapped Inuyasha. "You've been injured. You're coming with us."

"Yeah. I called my mom and she's coming to pick us up. Should I call an ambulance?" Kagome asked worriedly.

"No!" choked Tobias. "No...I'll be fine...I heal fast...shouldn't have even gotten hurt this much...it's weird..." After a lot more of halted conversation that didn't really go anywhere, Mama pulled up in her car. Inuyasha slung Tobias over his shoulder – "Damn, how much does that armor weigh?" – and placed him into the front seat. Inuyasha and Kagome got in the back.

"I hope he's okay..." said Kagome worriedly. Tobias craned his head back and gave a weak smile.

"Don't worry about me, Kagome. I'll be okay," he said slowly. (A/N: I really got sick of putting all the little '...'s into his lines, just mentally insert them yourself.) "Like I said, I heal fast. I'll be up and running by tomorrow." He glanced at Inuyasha, who was trying not to breathe through his nose to avoid Kagome's heated scent. Tobias gave him a long look, with Inuyasha glaring back at him. Tobias started to laugh. He sat back up and laughed some more.

"What is it?" Mama asked.

"No, nothing. It's just...well, it's funny. Sort of like an inside joke."

They arrived home. Inuyasha carried Tobias upstairs and sat him on a chair while they tried to decide where everyone would sleep tonight.

"Well," Mama said, "I want Tobias to be close to my room in case he needs some medical help during the night. After all, he did get shot in the head."

"I'll be _fine_."

"So then he should sleep in Sota's room. Sota?" The little boy perked up. "You sleep on the folding sofa."

"Okay, Mom. Lemme get my stuff." He raced into his room and started rummaging through things.

"Now, Inuyasha. Grandpa's in his room, and Tobias is in Sota's, I'm in mine, so...you'll have to sleep in Kagome's room."

Inuyasha reeled. _Spend all night that close to her, breathing in that scent? Oh Kami, no..._ "I..." he began.

"Don't worry about it, Inuyasha," Mama replied. "You've been running around with Kagome for years now, and never once tried to force her into anything she didn't want to do. She would have told me if you did. I trust you."

Tobias cast a wavering glance at Inuyasha, whose face lingered somewhere between desire and horror. He started to laugh again. He obviously thought this was a stone riot. He howled with laughter and tears streamed down his eyes as everyone else watched, sweatdropping. Tobias clapped a hand over Inuyasha's shoulder and moved closer to him.

"Man, I pity you, Inuyasha," he whispered in Inuyasha's ear. "I have a bullet in my skull and I pity you." He pulled away and laughed some more. To ease the tension, Kagome spoke up.

"Okay, Mama. We'll be fine." _No!_ Inuyasha thought desperately. _Not now! NOT TONIGHT!!_ But it was too late. Kagome was already leading him into her room. "I'll get a sleeping bag for you. I'll clear a spot on my floor...it's sort of messy." Inuyasha hung out in the doorway. Kagome paused. "Inuyasha? What's wrong?"

"Kagome, maybe I should just sleep in Goshinboku tonight. I usually sleep in a tree, so..."

Kagome was annoyed by his bull-headedness. Why couldn't he just accept that someone might do something nice for him? "Inuyasha, just sleep here. Mama will be upset if you come in tomorrow morning smelling like tree bark."

"I'll take a bath. Kagome..." _Dammit, wench. Just let me go already! This is driving me to the brink!_

"Inuyasha..." Kagome lowered her eyes. Inuyasha could see she was upset. "Why...why won't you stay..."

"Kagome, what's wrong? What did I say?" _Oh, great. Now I'm in for it._

"Inuyasha..." She glanced up at him. She was not crying, but her voice was a little shaky. "I'm worried about Tobias. I can't just lie here in my room and hope that he turns out okay. I need someone to stay with me." She looked down again. "I'm lonely..."

"I'LL BE FINE!" Came a roar from the other side of the wall. This dissolved the tension and sent Kagome into peals of laughter. Eventually, she looked into Inuyasha's golden eyes with a pleading expression. "Please...just stay with me...for one night..."

"Okay," Inuyasha said.

__

This is gonna be a loooooooong night.

A few hours later, Kagome was sprawled out on the bed, slumbering. Inuyasha, however, was far from asleep.

__

Dammit, dammit, dammit. Why did I let myself get into this? I'm going to either kill myself or get killed by Kagome if I do anything. Great job, Tobias. You just HAD to get wounded and sleep in the squirt's room so I had to sleep here. What did I ever do to you? Yeah, you think this is all just a biiig joke. Real funny. I'd laugh, except if I breathe in too hard I'll have to run for it. Kagome doesn't even know what she's doing to me. One of these days, I'll have to tell her. That is, if Tobias doesn't let it slip first. Damn him and his laughter. And Kagome isn't helping either, with all that 'I'm scared' and all that. Can't she deal with it for one night? Stupid wench. This heat better go away soon, or I'm gonna bolt. (A/N: Yeah, he's rambling. But Kagome's scent is messing with his head.)

On the other side of the wall, Tobias lay on "Pokémon" sheets, not sleeping at all. He had a bandage over his wound, and a damp washcloth besides, but he felt mostly okay. Well, except for a pounding headache. He, too, was deep in thought.

__

I don't understand. How was it Tybalt was able to hurt me so much with just one shot from a gun? Normally, I get shot; I bleed for a bit, I'm okay. But this...this knocked me out. I haven't been knocked unconscious in a LONG time. This is weird. Nothing hurts me that badly except...no, that isn't even possible. Two of the Three are held already, and the third was destroyed.

On a lighter note, why won't everyone stop fawning over me and thinking I'm going to die? Kagome, Mrs. Higurashi...at least Inuyasha trusts my abilities. Better check the wound. Tobias reached under the bandage and the washcloth to feel his bullet hole. There was a scab over the wound, and the skull had already formed. _What luck. By tomorrow morning, I'll be good as new. Even Tybalt can't keep me down for long._

What else is weird is the connection I seem to have with the two swordsmen. Inuyasha...Tybalt...I feel like I know them from somewhere. Maybe...maybe I'm right. Maybe they both possess one. But that would mean...maybe the legends are true. Could it be...? Tobias turned. _I think too much. I should just rest. Morning will come soon enough, and a job will take my mind off of these things._

Inuyasha knew none of this, of course. He was still lying there, half-crazed about Kagome's scent. He tossed and turned, trying to sleep, but it just wasn't going to happen. He sighed. _Why does it have to be this way? Maybe I can sneak out...yeah, that's it. I'll sleep in Goshinboku, and before she wakes up I'll come back inside. _He got up.

Inuyasha was approaching the door, stealthily, very stealthily. He was about to reach for the doorknob when he heard Kagome gasp. _Shit! I've been found out. _He whirled to confront her, but found her still fast asleep. _That's odd..._ He began to turn away when he heard her make another noise. She sounded frightened about something. He approached, gritting his teeth as he did so.

Kagome was tossing and turning in the bed, with a vaguely panicked look on her face. Her eyes were closed, however. Inuyasha came just a little closer to get a better look at her face. _She's probably having a nightmare,_ he thought. He was about to ponder this further, when he heard her begin to speak.

"No," she whispered frantically. "No, don't do it. Don't do it! He'll be okay. He won't hurt you. No. No! NO!" She shrieked. Inuyasha grabbed her and roughly shook her awake.

"Kagome! What's wrong? Did you have a-" Inuyasha was abruptly cut off as Kagome buried herself in his arms. She was quite upset, and was taking huge calming breaths as she clung to Inuyasha like a life preserver. Inuyasha, with his mind clouded with her scent, did the only thing he could think of. He hugged her tightly, whispering in her ear.

"It's okay, Kagome. Shh...shh...I'm right here, Kagome. There's nothing to be afraid of. Everything's okay. It was just a dream." This last sentence seemed to penetrate her consciousness more, and she let Inuyasha go, much to his combined relief and frustration.

Kagome looked at him, her visage shaky. "I had a dream...Tybalt was there...and you, and Tobias...and Tybalt...he...he..." She gave a small sob.

"It's all right, Kagome," Inuyasha crooned. "Tobias is fine. He's probably just asleep now." _I wish I could be._ "Did Tybalt...did he shoot Tobias?" Kagome nodded slightly. "Well, that's over now, Kagome. Tobias is going to be okay. You heard him shouting a while ago." She giggled a little, in spite of herself.

"Inuyasha...I know Tobias is okay, but...could you...sleep with me in my bed?" She blushed a brilliant red. Inuyasha gave a small, strangled gulp. Kagome looked up quickly. "I don't mean like that, Inuyasha!" she hissed. "I mean...just...for a little while...could you stay with me?"

__

Oh, crap. What do I say? I can't refuse her, when she's like this...but if I stay that close to her, I might... "I..." Inuyasha started. "I'll..."

"Please?"

"All right." _I can't say no to her when she gets all like that. What the hell am I getting myself into?_ Inuyasha awkwardly climbed into the opposite side of the bed. Kagome got in after him. They lay there for a while, until Inuyasha broke the ice.

"I won't touch..." he said uncertainly.

"Inuyasha...it's okay," said Kagome. She pulled the blanket over her and the dog demon. Inuyasha swallowed. Slowly, very slowly, he snaked his arm over the sheets until it touched her arm. He expected her to recoil, but she did nothing. They stayed like that for a minute; until Kagome, close to sleep, rolled over. Right into Inuyasha.

"Eep!" she squeaked. Inuyasha couldn't sort out the thoughts flying through his head right now. One of the strangest was...her scent. Her heat was still there, and still irritating him beyond all reason, but this close to her he could smell her usual scent as well. It calmed him. For once tonight, Inuyasha felt himself relax.

Feeling Inuyasha sink into sleep, Kagome relaxed as well. He didn't seem to mind, and he wasn't doing anything, so she just let herself drift off in that position as well. The two of them slept.

In the morning, Mama came in to wake them up. Opening the door, she was shocked to see Kagome in Inuyasha's slumbering embrace. _Oh my...oh dear. This is...wait...they both have all their clothes on. So unless...no, that's not possible._ She relaxed. _It's about time those two got a little friendly. He's been standoffish for so long, it's nice seeing them enjoy each other's company._ She slowly closed the door.

Aww...how sweet. Next chapter in a jiffy! REVIEW, why won't you REVIEW, you can anonymously REVIEW, but please sign when you REVIEW...it goes on like that. Thanks in advance! Ja ne!


	8. The Fateful Job

Hello, all. I changed my mind about not updating till 20 reviews. I just have to get this story out of my head. I will be updating much more regularly, now that I've seen that people actually care about my story. This one ends on a cliffie too! I'm so evil...

Chapter 8: The Fateful Job

"It's a beautiful day," said Tobias cheerfully. His bullet wound had completely healed over the night, much to the surprise of everyone present. "I have a spring in my step, a song in my heart, and fragments in my frontal lobe. I'm rarin' to go. What's for breakfast?"

"Pancakes," said Mama. She was learning to take these things in stride. After all, Inuyasha healed fast as well. "I hope you like them."

"I'm sure they will be excellent. Where's the maple syrup?" Tobias sat down at the table and loaded up his plate. Inuyasha was tucking in when Kagome arrived and sat down. He gulped and almost choked on his pancakes. Her heat had not abated over the night, and without her usual scent to calm him, he could tell he had a long day ahead of him.

"Today's probably the last day I'll be seeing you guys," said Tobias through a mouthful of pancakes. "Like I said, I have a job to go to as soon as breakfast is over. But it's certainly been an eventful few days."

"A job?" murmured Kagome. "You mean...you're going to kill someone?"

"Oh yeah. Don't be so squeamish about it, Kagome. Whoever it is probably deserves what they're gonna get. Pass the butter." She still looked unsure, and Mama looked positively green. "Don't _worry_ about it," Tobias said brightly. "Haven't you ever heard the saying, 'If a hitman shows up at your door, chances are you did something to deserve it'? Besides, I'm humane enough about it. I don't make them suffer like some folks do." He took a sip of milk. "It's at an abandoned warehouse on the edge of Tokyo. Some guy is waiting for a shipment of stolen goods, but I'll get there first."

They passed the rest of the breakfast with small talk. As Tobias was about to leave, he stopped and turned to Kagome.

"I've taken quite a shine to you two over the last few days," he said. "Maybe we can arrange to meet sometime after I'm done. I probably won't have easy access to a telephone, so I'll do the next best thing. Here." He handed her a small, jellybean looking thing. Kagome looked at him with a blank expression.

"It's a communicator. A wireless receiver of messages. You fit it into your ear like so." He took it and fiddled around with it for a minute, then placed it inside her ear. Inuyasha caught himself growling slightly as Tobias moved in close to place the thing inside her ear.

"I have one, too. Yours can only receive, and mine can only give. It lasts for about a minute then loses all its power. I can arrange to meet you someplace. If I contact you, you'll hear a beeping from inside your ear. Tap it to receive, and you'll hear me speak for a minute. When I'm done, you can throw it away. I don't think there's any way to recharge it." He walked out.

Kagome turned to see Inuyasha right in front of her. She jumped and hit him. "Inuyasha! Don't scare me like that!" She got ready to yell at him some more, but stopped when she saw the look in his eyes.

"Kagome..." he said softly. "We need to talk." Without another word, he took her hand and led her back to her bedroom.

"What is it you want to talk about?"

"About last night," he said abruptly. Kagome blushed. "Kagome, I've never been that close to you for that long in my entire life. And..."

"You were uncomfortable?" she said quietly.

"I liked it." She started and looked at him. "Kagome, we've been...more close these last few months. The last few days alone demonstrate that. Look what we did in the theater and the dance club...or at least tried to do, until Tobias spoiled everything." She giggled. _She smells so good..._ he thought.

"Yeah, his timing does stink. He's not perfect, but I like him."

"That's a good question. Do you like him, or do you _like_ him?"

She turned bright red. "Inuyasha! We're just friends."

"Then why were you fawning all over him when he was shot? And why were you having nightmares about it?" he countered.

Kagome was still a brilliant red, but soldiered on. "I can't control what I dream about," she shot back. "And yeah, I was upset. I thought he was going to die after all he had done for us."

"You mean all he had undone for us," Inuyasha muttered.

"Osuwari!"

Thud.

"What was that for, bitch?" he snarled.

"You know very well what that was for. Now stop being so jealous and stop having tantrums over the fact that one of my friends is a guy!"

"I'm not jealous!"

"Yeah right. It's written all over your face, Inuyasha." He looked puzzled and glanced in her mirror. Kagome sighed. "It's a figure of speech, Inuyasha. Now listen," she said, her voice growing less harsh. "I like him. He's my friend. But I'm not romantically interested in him at all." Inuyasha looked unconvinced. "You have to believe me," she said, her voice growing softer still. "The one I am romantically interested in is-"

"Who?" Inuyasha snapped. "Hobo or whatever his name is?"

"Inuyasha! Arrgh...I just can't talk to you today." Kagome stormed off and flopped on the couch. She turned on the TV.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha approached. "What did I say?" She glared at the TV, not saying a word. "Kagome?" he repeated. No response.

"Fine then!" he shouted. "Watch your stupid thing! I'm going upstairs, to talk to someone who actually understands me!" He ran upstairs and burst into Sota's room. Sota paused his video game and looked up. His cheerful expression disintegrated under Inuyasha's angry face.

"Inuyasha? What happened?" he asked, a little fearfully.

"It's just Kagome. She can be a real jerk sometimes." Inuyasha sat on the bed. "How do you play this one again?"

Sota instantly regained his cheerfulness. "It's easy! I'll show you. The A button punches, the B button kicks..." They worked on the game together.

Downstairs, Kagome was staring a hole through the television, but not actually seeing what was on the screen. _Arrgh! He can be such a blockhead! If he hadn't interrupted me at that second...I would have told him that the one I'm romantically interested in is HIM! But now, I'm not so sure. If he's gonna get jealous every time I even come near a guy, then maybe..._ She drifted off into further thought.

Upstairs, Inuyasha was being mercilessly beaten at the video game by Sota. His thoughts, however, were not on the game. _Stupid wench. She **is** interested in Tobias. I see it every time I look at her. Not to mention the fact that he's trying to seduce her all the time. I want to be with her! I want to spend all my life with her! But she just can't see it. Feh. Women._ _Not to mention her scent is pushing me to my limits. I can even smell it from up here. It had better go away soon, or..._

A few hours later, Inuyasha was sitting in Kagome's room, sulking. There was a knock at the door.

"Come in!" Inuyasha snapped.

Kagome opened the door and timidly walked in. "In-Inuyasha?" she said. "I wanted to talk..."

"We already did. Look how much good it did us."

"No, Inuyasha." She slammed the door behind her and locked it. "I'm not going to be put off by your comments anymore. We need to talk seriously. And for once, don't interrupt me."

Inuyasha was about to respond angrily when Kagome silenced him with a 'say-one-word-and-I'll-sit-you" look. She continued. "Tobias is a nice guy, he took us to the movies and the club and gave us money and stuff. His job is a little gruesome, but I can look past that. But he is my _friend_. Like Miroku is my _friend_. I'm not interested in him in that way at all. Can you believe me?"

Inuyasha gave a slight nod of assent. "Good. And about Hojo. He constantly wants to make me his girlfriend by sending me flowers and giving me presents and all that stuff. He is also my _friend_. Nothing more. He may think otherwise but we are not involved in any way. Can you believe me on that?"

Inuyasha nodded again. A gleam was beginning to come to his eyes. Kagome continued. "Did you think that all that we shared over the last few weeks have been pretend? That I really didn't mean it? You can be real thick sometimes, Inuyasha. Why would I do all this stuff and not mean it? That would be cruel."

"Yeah...cruel..." Inuyasha seemed to be lost in thought.

"My point is, Inuyasha, there's only one person in the world who I'm romantically interested in." Her voice grew so soft that even Inuyasha had trouble hearing her.

"It's you, Inuyasha. Not Koga or Tobias or Hojo...you."

Inuyasha sniffed the air. Was it his imagination, or did her scent just intensify? Kagome was staring at him with a great longing, waiting for an answer. Inuyasha fumbled over a few words before coughing and starting over.

"Kagome...you have no idea how long I've waited to hear that from you. I'm...I'm interested in you too," he said slowly, picking his words carefully. He didn't want to frighten her with _love_ or _mate_, that would be too much too soon. "And I have been for a while."

The rush of emotion made Inuyasha's control slip just a notch. And that was enough. He lunged forward and grabbed Kagome, holding her to him tightly. She gasped, but then sighed as she leaned into his hold. Regaining his control, Inuyasha pulled her away a bit and looked into her eyes. She returned his intense gaze. They lowered their heads to meet each other.

BEEP

"What the hell is that?" Inuyasha growled, angry about that stupid beep breaking the moment.

BEEP!

"I think it's that little communicator dealie that Tobias gave me," Kagome said. Her mind was still reeling from Inuyasha's embrace.

****

BEEP!

"It's not that important," purred Inuyasha. "Now, where were we...?"

**__**

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!

"Hold on a minute," said Kagome, annoyed at the stupid beepy thing. She touched it lightly like Tobias had showed her. It was meant for Kagome, but Inuyasha's keen ears caught it too. They were both shocked at Tobias's voice. It had a tone of desperation and fear that they had never heard him use.

"Kagome? This is really, really important. The job was a trap. The abandoned warehouse was not so abandoned. The second I stepped in, these demon-things started attacking me. I was carving them up good but then one of them knocked my sword from my hands. I don't have time to explain it now, but if I'm don't have my sword on me, I'm powerless. The strength, the speed, the healing, gone. I become a regular human. They've been torturing me for a while now. One of them, the one who disarmed me, heard me mention Inuyasha's name and now he's asking me all these questions about the shards of a jewel or something. He's wearing a baboon skin, so I don't know what he looks like. Do you know what he's talking about? Even if you don't, it doesn't matter. Bring Inuyasha and get me out of this. The warehouse is at 6775 Hotsuma Drive, at the outskirts of the city. Get here as fast as you can. Running out of time. Tobias out."

The device went dead.

Once again: I'm so evil. REVIEW AS IF YOUR LIFE DEPENDED ON IT! Because if you don't, I'll get demoralized and never work on the story again. So pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease review!


	9. A Really Really Big Fight

Hello again. You notice I'm updating much more recently. That's because I have the blessed fruit of REVIEWS! 20 of them! Wild things. They make my heart sing. They make everything...groovy. TO THE STORY...!

Chapter 9: A Really Really Big Fight

"We have to help him!" Kagome said frantically. "Come on. I can find that place. You can carry me like you always-"

"Why?"

"What?!" Kagome wheeled and glared at Inuyasha. "_Why?_ Because he's my FRIEND, that's why! We have to get him out of this!"

"But Kagome, we've spent enough time here, we need to get back to my time so we can find the shards! Naraku probably has-"

"Naraku is in that building!" Kagome shrieked. "You want the shards, Naraku probably has all of his with him. You want to find all the shards; we have to help Tobias. Now let's go!" Kagome dashed down the stairs. Inuyasha sighed, then ran after her.

Outside, Kagome jumped on Inuyasha's back. "Go left and keep straight until I say!" she shouted. Inuyasha froze. _She's so close...she smells so good...I just want to-_ "INUYASHA!" Kagome's voice jolted Inuyasha from his thoughts. "Stop wasting time! We have to hurry!" Shaking his head to clear his mind, Inuyasha sped off.

"Left! Right! No, your _other_ right! Straight!" Kagome yelled directions to Inuyasha as he zoomed around the city. Eventually, they made it to a huge warehouse-type building. Kagome hopped off, and once she was clear, Inuyasha took a deep breath for the first time that day.

"You think he's in here?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome was about to respond when they heard a loud, angry voice from inside.

"I'LL CUT YOU TO PIECES!! I'LL ROAST YOU ALIVE!!! I'LL RIP YOU A NEW ONE!!!!"

"Sounds like him. Let's go!" Inuyasha unsheathed Tetsusaiga. It transformed with a flash. Inuyasha ran for the door and broke it down with one swift strike.

Inside, it was chaos. Hundreds of demons howled and gibbered and pranced about the few large crates scattered around. An iron chair was in the middle, and Tobias was chained to it. His armor lay disassembled on the ground around him, and his sword was suspended by a single chain hanging from the ceiling. A very familiar figure was standing over him, wearing a very familiar baboon skin. As Inuyasha burst in, everybody in the place went still and silent. Naraku straightened up and looked Inuyasha right in the eye.

"Hm. I figured I'd find you here, Inuyasha. What a stroke of luck. To get you and him in one swift stroke. Good of you to come to me...it will make everything much easier..."

"Naraku. The only thing that'll be easy here is how easily I kill you, you BASTARD!!" Inuyasha leaped over the heads of the shocked demons and brought his sword down on Naraku. Unfortunately, Naraku's barrier was as strong as ever, and all Inuyasha managed to do was to shred his baboon skin, showing everyone his real form.

"Weak as ever, Inuyasha. You should know by now that you can't hurt me." Naraku just smirked at him.

"How...how did you get here?" Kagome's voice floated up from behind a crate. Naraku smirked again.

"Ah, the miko. I knew you would be here too. From the moment I saw you, I knew you were not of my time and now I have the proof. This is where you come from, isn't it. Well, that's nice because your birthplace will also be where you die. Once I reassemble the shards of that delightful jewel, of course.

"As to how I got here? Well, you seem to be able to travel back and forth from my time very easily. So, with a little help from a recent associate of mine, I too now possess the power of time travel. And as you can see, I brought a few of my friends..."

Inuyasha glanced at Tobias and was completely thrown by his expression. Tobias's face usually never held anything but calm amusement, but this was something completely different. Veins bulged from his forehead in his rage, and one of his eyes twitched spasmodically. From between his clenched teeth, Inuyasha just barely made out the words that Tobias spoke.

"Get me free..."

Inuyasha reached for the chains binding Tobias, aiming to rip them apart. As soon as he touched one, a terrible burning feeling seared through his grip and up his arm. He cried out and yanked away.

"Those things burn!" he shouted.

"I know..." hissed Tobias. "They're magical, you idiot...they've been burning me ever since they put them on...don't try to break them...just _get me my sword_..."

Inuyasha leaped high into the air and severed the chain holding Tobias's sword. It floated down and landed in Tobias's outstretched hand.

Three things happened at once, when Tobias grasped his sword.

Two demons leaped to Kagome and seized her arms, attempting to drag her to Naraku.

An energy pulse swept the room, hitting all inside it with some indefinable sense of power radiating from the center.

Tobias took the enchanted iron bindings and tore them apart as if they were rice paper.

Suddenly, all eyes were on Tobias as he stood next to the ruined bindings. His sword glowed. It glowed with a soft red light that seemed to illuminate the room despite its faintness. Tobias raised his sword into the air with one arm. He gripped the handle tightly.

His armor leaped off the floor and speedily reassembled itself around him.

To everyone's surprise, Tobias then took his sword and jammed it into his scabbard. "You're not going to disarm me again, Naraku," he said quietly. "I can kill you all with my bare hands." The demons charged. One leaped.

The demon hurtled through the air, feral claws outstretched, aiming to slice Tobias in half with one swift stroke. It never got that far. It struggled as Tobias held its wrists in an iron-hard grip. Nothing less than pure rage showed through his eyes and his face. "No," he growled. "Not this time. I have my strength back..." his voice grew louder. "I will make you pay for what you did to me." And with that, he ripped the youkai's arms from their sockets.

The demon shrieked in pain, but only for an instant as Tobias's fist smashed into its grotesque head. It dropped like a sack of anvils. Another demon, wearing armor and wielding an axe, charged Tobias from behind. With a roar, Tobias turned to face this new foe and smashed a punch in the center of its chest. The armor splintered, and the youkai went flying backwards with such force that the solid brick wall crumbled as it hit. The youkai lay outside among the rubble and did not get up again.

They all attacked at once. Tobias stood in the center of a circle of demons, roaring and screaming at him. He laid waste. He elbow-dropped one demon, took out another with a roundhouse punch, leaped in the air and smashed a pair coming from both sides with a jumping split kick. He disappeared under a tidal wave of youkai.

Naraku watched all this with just the hint of a gleam in his eye. Inuyasha took advantage of this distraction and attempted to decapitate him with Tetsusaiga. However, the barrier blocked his attack again, and Naraku just smirked yet again. From the pile of demons, one voice was heard.

"_NARAKU!!!_"

Demons and demon parts went flying as Tobias leaped from the eye of the storm. His sword was drawn and already stained with blood. He sailed through the air and landed next to Inuyasha. Without breaking stride, he smashed his sword down on Naraku, but he too was repelled by the barrier. Tobias appeared unfazed.

"Your magic may block one attack," he snarled. "But are you man enough to fight both of us at once?" Inuyasha brought Tetsusaiga to bear again. The very slightest glimmer of fear appeared in Naraku's eye, but he brushed it off and continued.

"Inuyasha...on two. One..." Tobias brought his sword before him. The glow began to increase. "TWO!!" Both of them lunged at Naraku and struck at the same time.

They both hit.

Naraku leaped away, with two wounds from the two swords. The glimmer of fear now clearly showed, but nobody paid any attention. Naraku brought a hand down and touched the wound from Tetsusaiga. Blood was on his fingers.

"Blood..." he whispered. "You dare harm me?" His voice regained its regular smug confidence. "A lucky blow. I will not fall prey to such a scrape." He turned to Tobias. "Would that I could destroy you right now, boy," Naraku muttered. "But...now is not the time. This little trip has fulfilled its purpose. I leave you now." He shimmered and vanished.

Tobias glared at the empty space Naraku had left, then turned to Inuyasha.

"Get Kagome and leave," he said quietly.

"Why? I can take care of-"

"Go." Tobias's whisper was more final than any scream. Inuyasha gave him a long look, then turned away and scooped up Kagome. She was shocked about all that had happened, but the demons holding her had long since abandoned their post to fight Tobias. Inuyasha grabbed her.

"Come on," he said harshly. "We need to leave." She nodded faintly. Inuyasha picked her up and ran out the door. They had gotten about a block away when Inuyasha stopped and looked at the warehouse. Kagome slipped off his back and stared with him.

"What do you think he's gonna do?" Kagome said.

"I don't know. If I know him, though, he's got something up his sleeve."

**_BOOOOOOOM!!!!!_**

(note: this boom should be in a really large font)

The entire warehouse burst into a column of flames. The blast shook the ground, and a shockwave knocked Kagome off her feet. Inuyasha stood up to it, though. He ran over and took Kagome.

"Are you okay?" he asked. _Kami, I hope she's okay..._

"I'm fine, Inuyasha." She struggled to her feet. "What _was_ that? That huge explosion..." The area where the warehouse once stood was now a smoldering ruin with a crater beneath it. Tobias came running up, completely out of breath.

"What the _hell_ was that? Did you do that? How did it-" Inuyasha began shouting but was abruptly cut off. Tobias straightened and looked Inuyasha right in the eye.

"We need to leave, now. Before the police arrive." Inuyasha shrugged, got Kagome on his back again, and the three of them ran off. Inuyasha was surprised at how fast Tobias was moving. _Although, after what I just saw, maybe I shouldn't be...Dammit! Kagome still hasn't let go of her heat! We'd better get somewhere quick!..._ he thought desperately.

"First things first," Kagome called out from Inuyasha's back. "Did you make that blast?"

"Me?" Tobias shouted back. (A/N: It's hard to hear when you're running, especially at the speeds they're going at.) "I wish I could do that. While in the warehouse, I discovered several cases of trinitrotoluene."

"Cases of what?" Kagome shouted.

"TNT! Explosives. I set 'em off," he yelled. "Blew the demons all to hell. I escaped out the back." They had now gone several miles. "Okay!" Tobias shouted again. "We're safe here." They skidded to a halt outside a construction site. A half-finished building loomed nearby, with several condemned ones in the vicinity.

"You didn't create that explosion?" Inuyasha narrowed his eyes.

"No, I just said I didn't. How could I? With my bare hands?" Tobias rolled his eyes. "If I could do something like that, I wouldn't be a simple assassin, I can tell you that." He sat down heavily. "In any case, we're safe here. The cops will never suspect us. Who would think of a half-demon and a guy wearing plate mail doing anything suspicious?"

Inuyasha sat down as well. Kagome joined him. "Well, we can rest for a minute." His head perked up suddenly, and his ears twitched.

"Or not. Something's coming." Kagome sighed.

"Something ELSE?" _What else could go wrong today?_ "What does it smell like?"

"Umm...it doesn't have a scent. But it'll be here any second, it's going as fast as we were." Tobias groaned, pulled out his sword again and struck a fighting stance.

"Whatever it is, we'll be ready."

Ha ha. Another cliffie! I'm so SO evil...aren't I. But don't worry your little heads! I'm not the sort who starts an interesting story and gets bored 15 chapters in. I'm sticking this one out! And it'll be a while...hell, it's taken me 9 chapters and the plot hasn't even shown up yet. Don't worry about this story ending anytime soon.

Almost forgot! (I'm so dumb.) A big shout-out to my two recent friends on fanfiction.net, Lasako and Kai19. Read their stories! They're high quality, and I know it because I like them and I HATE low-quality fics. Hi there, Lasako and Kai19!

And one more thing I wanted to know about. I don't use Japanese in my stories (except for Osuwari instead of Sit, because Osuwari sounds so much better) but one thing has always confused me. What do the various titles mean? You know, -sama, -san, -chan, -kun, etc. Could someone please tell me what they stand for? Thanks a bunch! Read and Review!


	10. The Big Two Parter!

Chapter 10: The Big Two-Parter!

Bit of an announcement before I begin the chapter. As you may have guessed from the title, this chapter is broken up into two parts. An action-packed part, and a fluffy romance part. I would have split it into two chapters, except they're both too short to stand on their own and the last thing we need is more chapters cluttering up the chapter bar. I'll announce when Part I begins and when Part II begins.

Part I: Not Him Again

"_Daikonamuratsuro!!!"_

Tobias whirled just in time to block two swords from running him through. A vaguely familiar figure in a black suit holding the swords glowered at him from midair, before retracting and stepping back one or two paces.

"Here comes the furious Tybalt back again," remarked Tobias. This time, there was no humor in his voice and no amusement on his face. "And in a construction site no less. Do you think you'll get an advantage here?" Tybalt snorted.

"What, you've dropped the act?" Tobias said. "Ran out of lines, huh?"

"I thought I'd dropped you," sneered Tybalt.

Tobias's eyes glittered. "It takes more than a bullet to the head to kill me, Tybalt."

"Then I'll find out _just – how – much – it – takes_," growled Tybalt. He leaped again and smashed his swords into Tobias's blade. Their fight was more intense than last time as they crashed their swords against each other in an attempt to slice up the opponent. Tobias's skill had increased, he seemed to be bringing out some inner reserves of strength, but Tybalt still held the upper hand.

Swords extended from both arms, Tybalt spun into a whirlwind of blades and launched himself at Tobias. Tobias responded by running up and stabbing his sword into the center of the tornado that was Tybalt. He was forced to cancel his attack as he pulled both his swords to block Tobias's assault. The joined swords stopped a millimeter from Tybalt's skull. Tybalt brought their swords up and flung Tobias off him. Tobias flew backwards, disoriented for the merest second. Tybalt didn't let him have that second; and dashed up to him, swords swinging.

Tybalt hit Tobias with a particularly punishing blow, sending him flying up the side of a building. Tobias recovered quickly, and while still flying up the building, jammed his sword into the wall above his head. He hung, grasping the handle, glowering at Tybalt. Tobias braced his feet against the wall, and pushed off. His sword came out, and he hurtled down to strike. Tybalt just barely dodged as Tobias's blow struck. A small crater appeared in the concrete where Tobias's sword hit. Before Tobias even had the chance to stand up, Tybalt was upon him again. He didn't let up for an instant. Tobias was beginning to slow down. The previous battle had exhausted him, and his reserves of strength were running low.

"Getting tired?" taunted Tybalt. "Go ahead and admit it. You can't beat me and you never could."

"You got lucky," snarled Tobias. "I'm watching for you this time, so you don't pull another trick-"

"Like this?" Tybalt finished his sentence as he held his gun against Tobias's head.

"Not again!" Inuyasha hissed. Kagome clung to his shoulder. "If he shoots him again, I'm gonna kill him."

To everyone's surprise, Tobias laughed. "I'm not worried this time, Tybalt. I know your style now. You won't shoot me unless you get the last word."

"Basically." **BANG!**

True to his word, Tybalt had not fired until he had his parting shot. But this time, the bullet hit the wall in front of it.

"Like I said, I know your style." Tobias's voice echoed from the shadows. "I saw that coming a mile away. I'm not going to fall for the same trick twice."

"Then fall for a different one!" Tybalt roared. He unholstered his second gun and started pumping bullets at Tobias, who ran to avoid them and put as much metal between him and Tybalt as was possible. He dashed behind a Dumpster, bulled behind a backhoe, stormed behind a streetlamp, charged behind a CONSTRUCTION-KEEP OUT sign. Tybalt just kept firing and firing at him.

"Doesn't he ever run out of bullets?" Kagome whispered. Her question was answered a second later as Tybalt ejected his empty magazines and reloaded his guns. He then resumed shooting.

Tobias ran into a group of equipment and speared an empty garbage can on his sword. He leaped out and sent the can flying towards Tybalt. Tybalt raised his swords to deflect it.

Or at least he would have, had he been holding his swords at the time. As was, he was holding his guns, and they were not nearly as effective at blocking the garbage can as his swords would have been. The can slammed into him, stunning him and sending one of his pistols flying into the shadows.

Tobias strode out and stood in front of a condemned, moldering building. "Not so high and mighty without your precious guns, are you?" he shouted. "I guess you'll just have to use your swords like everybody else."

Tybalt looked above the building Tobias was standing behind. A large cast-iron wrecking ball, suspended on a chain, hung above the top of the building.

"Gotta get this right," he muttered. Checking his pistol, he noticed he only had one bullet left. "One shot and I'm out of ammo."

"Come ON! I'm getting bored here, waiting for you to do SOMETHING..." Tobias yelled.

Tybalt raised his pistol and fired. Tobias ducked, but he wasn't the one being shot at. High above, one of the links in the wrecking ball popped as a bullet went whistling through it. The wrecking ball dropped soundlessly through the air.

"Ha! After all that, you miss. You've really lost it, Tybalt."

The wrecking ball landed with an almighty smash. The building bulged outwards, and came tumbling down with a roar.

"That was pathetic! That was-" Tobias cut his ranting short and looked behind him as the building came crashing down on him. Too late to move. Too late to react. He could only stare in awe, as what Tybalt had done raced through his mind. Inuyasha grabbed Kagome (who was white with shock) and leaped clear.

"Oh, crap."

**_CRAAAASH!!!!_**

(again, this should be in a huge font for maximum effect)

The wall and a large chunk of the building smashed onto Tobias's unbelieving form, burying him under tons of mortar and brick. Tybalt stood unmoving as the building finally stopped crashing down.

"THAT definitely killed him," he snarled. "No man could survive that kind of punishment." He turned to Inuyasha and Kagome. "Once again, I bid you farewell." He dashed off into the gloom. Inuyasha stood there, looking at where he went.

"Why didn't you follow him?" Kagome cried.

"I can't," he said slowly. "There's something about him...I can't track him anywhere. I tried last time and lost him immediately. I don't know what it is, but I can't."

Kagome had stopped listening a while ago and had run over to the collapsed building. She was frantically digging at the rubble to try and find Tobias's body. Inuyasha loped over and saw that she was on the verge of tears.

"Hey, hey, it's okay," he said. "He survived last time Tybalt tried to kill him, and he'll survive again."

Kagome looked at him incredulously. "That was just a bullet. This is an entire freaking _building!_ How could he have lived through that?" She began to cry. Inuyasha started lifting rocks and tossing them aside.

"We'll find him, and he'll be okay. I promise." He and Kagome tunneled through the rubble, digging and moving. Inuyasha lifted a large boulder, and heard a slight groaning noise.

"That's him!" he nearly shouted. "It's Tobias!" Before he could move, the rocks shifted and Tobias stood up from underneath them. He was a mess. His clothes were torn, he was covered in bruises and gashes, he sported two black eyes and a broken nose. He had a large, bleeding wound on his head. His armor, however, though covered with dust, was not broken, dented, or even scratched. Tobias feebly took his sword and shoved it into his scabbard.

"That...bastard!" he gasped. His eyes rolled back into his head. He passed out and fell on his back. Inuyasha ran to him.

"He's okay," Inuyasha said before Kagome could speak. "He's just knocked out again. Any idea on how to get him home?" This time, Kagome was stumped. Her mother was at work and her grandfather didn't drive. Sota obviously couldn't do anything. There weren't any phones nearby, either.

Suddenly, Kagome had a brain wave. She reached into one of Tobias's MANY pockets, and after a bit of searching, found a wad of money. She grabbed it and ran off. Inuyasha straightened up quickly.

"Where is she going?" he hissed. Before he could get up, he heard Kagome's voice.

"Inuyasha, come here and bring Tobias!" He hefted the unconscious form of Tobias over his shoulder and sped off towards Kagome. She had hailed a taxi with Tobias's money. They loaded Tobias inside and climbed in the back.

"What happened ta him? Looks like a buildin' fell on him or somethin'," the cabbie remarked.

"Nothing...he'll be fine. Just take us to the address." 

Part II: Oh, That's Not Good (fluff!)

The cab sped off. In the backseat, Kagome leaned her head on Inuyasha's shoulder. Inuyasha stiffened for a second. Kagome didn't notice. _Crap crap crap,_ thought Inuyasha. _Is her heat never going to go away? This is infuriating. She's so close...all I have to do is reach over and..._

"I'm not worried this time, Inuyasha," Kagome murmured.

"What?" Inuyasha was jolted back to reality by her words.

"I'm not afraid for Tobias. I know he'll be okay." She sat back up again and looked out the window. "I still want him to answer some questions, though."

"You and me both," muttered Inuyasha. Kagome giggled.

"Yeah, he's weird all right. What with his strength and speed, his healing, his sword, that massive explosion, and everything, when he comes to I'm gonna read him a whole list of questions."

The cab arrived at the Higurashi's. Kagome paid the driver and Inuyasha carried Tobias into the house. Mama was not there; probably at work, Kagome supposed. Grandpa had not been around the last couple of days, saying he needed to go on a 'spiritually cleansing' journey. Whatever he meant by that. Sota was at a friend's house. They had the place to themselves.

"You know, I can walk now," Tobias muttered from Inuyasha's back.

"Then do it." Inuyasha dropped Tobias, and he crashed to the ground. "Come on! Where's all that grace and skill?"

Tobias fixed him with a steely gaze. "Let's see how much 'grace and skill' you have after I drop a building on you." He struggled to his feet. His gashes and cuts were already healing. "I'm going upstairs. Gotta rest and recuperate." He walked up the stairs and into Sota's room.

Kagome went up to her room, and beckoned Inuyasha to follow her. Tobias was on Sota's bed, presumably unconscious once more. Kagome entered her room.

The minute she was in, she turned to Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha..." She shocked him by closing the distance between them rapidly. "We finally have a little time without Tobias barging in and breaking everything up. Let's talk."

_Talk...or maybe do a little more than talk..._ Inuyasha thought. "Sure..." he said. "Whatever you want."

"Maybe we-" Kagome was abruptly cut off by Inuyasha.

"Remember this morning? Right before the beeping thing?" he murmured. "Why not just take up where we left off..." Kagome gasped as Inuyasha flung his arms out and crushed her to him, but soon wrapped her arms around his back in a warm embrace. It felt so nice to hold him this way, without Tobias interrupting for once. He lowered his head to hers. His lips brushed against hers.

He could smell her heat. It nearly drove him to the edge. He was shocked again when Kagome raised her head slightly to press her mouth against his.

She had never felt anything before that even remotely compared to the sensation of his lips on hers. Her eyelids fluttered as he slowly deepened the kiss. His tongue flicked across her lips, begging for entry. Slowly, almost shyly, she opened her mouth to meet his. The two of them slowly sank onto the bed, sitting entwined with one another.

He never would have believed that Kagome would taste sweeter than anything he had ever tasted before. Inuyasha's tongue slid up and down her teeth before rubbing playfully against her tongue. Kagome made a small noise in the back of her throat, which almost made him chuckle. Then it was his turn to make a noise as she pressed her body against his. Some part of Inuyasha's mind told him that he'd better lay off, before things got too serious. So he attempted to pull away.

To his absolute horror, he found he could not. The combination of her heat and his emotions had kicked his youkai instincts into overdrive, and his grip tightened around her, almost of its own volition.

_Oh, fucking **shit**, this is bad. This is bad **bad BAD**. I have to warn Kagome somehow – but how will I tell her? – she's responding – if I get on top of her, she won't be able to sit me – dammit! I had to start this whole thing when she was in heat! What am I gonna do to stop? What am I gonna do to her?_

Inuyasha's dog ears pricked up. A sound – a very slight sound – a faint cough – had sounded from the open doorway.

Inuyasha was so completely caught off-guard by this that he abruptly released Kagome's mouth and whirled to face Tobias, who had a slight grin on his face, like he could see a joke that everyone else was missing. Almost all of his wounds had healed. Inuyasha's teeth bared, his ears flattened back. He looked ready to kill something for interrupting him.

"I was going to ask where the bathroom was, but you two seem busy," Tobias remarked nonchalantly. He did not seem the least bit perturbed about walking in on them. Inuyasha gave him a glare that could melt limestone. But his angry expression began to fade as he thought. _Wait...I let go of Kagome! If Tobias hadn't shown up at that moment...I don't know what I would have done._ His stomach wrenched as he realized exactly what he would have done had he not released Kagome. He glanced back at her and saw her face was a shade of red that seemed more appropriate on a tomato than a human. His expression softened, and he looked back at Tobias.

Kagome looked, a little fearfully, at Inuyasha. He had just given her the most romantic contact she had ever had with any man, and now he was staring at Tobias, looking like he was going to rip him apart for disturbing them. Kagome braced herself for a long shouting tirade from the angry hanyou, but Inuyasha just closed his eyes, gulped deeply, and said, in a tone of forced calm, "Down the hall, to the right."

Tobias's grin increased as he saw Inuyasha's rage dissolve. He started to leave, then Inuyasha put out an arm and tapped him lightly on the shoulder.

"Tobias? I need to talk to you for a minute...okay?"

"Sure. I'll be out in a bit." He left. Inuyasha turned back to Kagome. She was puzzled. What happened to Inuyasha's fury? It was like it had all drained away.

"Inuyasha? What happened back there? You looked like you were ready to rip his head off, but you became so calm. How...?" Kagome trailed off. Inuyasha averted his eyes from hers. He stood up and turned away.

Unbeknownst to Kagome (A/N: but knownst to us), Inuyasha's brain and his instincts were having a furious war for control. The instincts demanded to know why the hell he wasn't back and wrapped around Kagome, and the brain told the instincts to take a flying leap, he had more important matters.

"I need to talk with Tobias," he muttered. "I'll be back in a little bit." He started to leave. Kagome's shoulders slumped. She had just given her heart to him and he was leaving? She spoke up, timidly and with a hint of sadness.

"Inuyasha? Didn't you...didn't you like it?" Inuyasha snapped to attention, did a complete 180˚, and clutched Kagome desperately. He stared straight into her eyes.

"Kagome! Don't even _think_ that." His voice softened once more. "It was...it was incredible, Kagome. It was...it was the best experience I've had in my life. But right now...I just need a little time...alone. I need to...work some things out." He gently released her and walked to the door.

_Poor guy, must be in shock. I'll give him some time to himself,_ Kagome thought. She was nearly giddy with happiness. Her first kiss, and with Inuyasha. She would remember this day for the rest of her life.

Inuyasha walked into Sota's room, where Tobias was lounging on the bed and blasting away at Sota's video games. He paused the game and looked up to see Inuyasha standing there.

"You wanted to ask me something?" Tobias stood up and looked at Inuyasha. He certainly did have an odd expression on his face.

"Yeah. Tobias? Remember when you walked in and we were...remember?" Tobias nodded. He still had that slight grin on his face. "I told you that Kagome was...in heat, right? She still is...and when I went to kiss her...I almost lost it and..." He looked down.

"How? Does your demon side rise up or something?" Inuyasha gave a barely perceptible nod. "Oh. That's bad."

"So what I'm saying is, if you hadn't come in right then..." Tobias winced.

"That is _really_ bad. How long until this heat goes away?"

"It should end around today. It never lasts for more than a day or two."

"So what do you suggest?"

"Maybe we could do something together and wait for Kagome's heat to leave."

"Sounds good..." Tobias scratched his head. "I have an idea. Want to get drunk and party?"

"Get drunk?" Inuyasha's nose wrinkled. "What's that?"

"You don't remember? The first night you met me, after the fight, you could barely stand for your drunkenness." Inuyasha's face brightened.

"Oh yeah...that was a lot of fun."

"Want to do it again? Just us guys, going out for a night on the town?"

"Yeah...but tomorrow, me and Kagome have to leave."

"Leave? For where?"

"Just...we have to go."

"Ah, the great mysteries of life. I'll get a cab." Tobias left. Inuyasha popped back into Kagome's room.

"Kagome? Me and Tobias are going out for a little bit. We'll be back in a few hours. All right?"

"All right." _I don't want to rush things with him..._ Kagome thought to herself. _I definitely don't want to frighten him away with too much too soon..._

The two swordsmen got into the taxi. Tobias looked at Inuyasha.

"So, Inuyasha...what's all this about the shards of a jewel?" Inuyasha sighed. This was gonna take a while.

All right. This seems like a good place to stop. I don't want to go on forever! Tell me what you think, and BE HONEST. I've never written romance scenes before, so this is new ground to me. Any suggestions, questions, comments, REVIEW. I need your feedback or I'll just keep blundering on in my own writing style and screw everything up. And no, Inuyasha's not just gonna spill everything about the Shikon Jewel to a complete stranger. At least, not while he's sober. *evil grin*

And, I would like to dedicate this chapter to the two who have stuck around ever since I began updating regularly, Lasako and Kai19. Big round of applause for the girls, please! Read their stories. I implore you.


	11. A Night On The Town

*Gasp* Five more reviews! Oh...wait...four were from the same person...but it doesn't matter. The more reviews the merrier. Oh, and Lasako? STOP CALLING ME GRAY-CHAN! IT'S GARY! NOT GRAY! Ahem. To the story!

Chapter 11: A Night On The Town

They rode in silence for a few minutes, then they both spoke up at once.

"I have a few questions," they both said at the same time.

(A/N: It's too much trouble to say "Blah blah blah" _Tobias said_ or _Inuyasha said_ after every line. I'll just label the lines; they'll be doing a lot of talking in the next few pages.)

T: "Jinx!"  


I: "What?"

T: "Never mind. You go first, Inuyasha."

I: "Okay...first off, did you make that huge explosion?"

T: "No, of course not. How would I go about doing something like that?" Tobias lit a cigarette.

I: "Well, your sword is magical. It got a little obvious when you survived the building falling on you, your armor put itself on, we defeated Naraku's barrier, you-"

T: "Okay, okay. I get the idea. Yes, it's magical. Happy?"

I: _Not really. _"I noticed your little fire-stick thing..."

T: "It's a _cigarette_."

I: "Whatever. How is it you breathe in the smoke from it and don't...well, die?"

T: "When you can recover from a gunshot to the head overnight, lung cancer is not a problem. I heal fast."

I: "Okay...you said we're going to get drunk, right?"

T: "Yes..."

I: "But the night we met, you drank gallons of that stuff and didn't get drunk."

T: "I'll level with you, Inuyasha. That was just to keep up the 'mysterious' image. Nothing I drank that night had alcohol in it. I didn't want to get drunk and start blurting everything."

I: "And you do now?"

T: "Why can't I have a little fun?"

I: "Never mind. How old are you?"

T: "Twenty-six."

I: "No, really."

T: "Yes, really. How old do I look?"

I: "Where do you come from?"

T: "I don't remember. I've been traveling for a long time."

I: _Yeah right._ "Where did you find that sword?"

T: "You think I'm gonna tell you that?"

I: "If you aren't, I don't have anything else. But I'm not telling you anything."

T: "And after I was so nice and answered most of your questions?"

I: "Tell me where you got your sword and I'll answer anything."

Tobias lapsed into an impenetrable silence. Inuyasha smirked and looked out the window.

The cab deposited them at Seventh Heaven Bar and Grill. (A/N: Sound familiar? If not, reread Chapter 1...) They both got out and approached the bartender. He looked up as they approached, surly as ever, but his face brightened when he recognized them.

"Hey! Kyoten! You and that other guy are back! Drinks are on the house for you two tonight. Sure, ya wrecked my place last time, but damages can be paid for..." He gave Tobias a wink. "So, what'll ya have?"

"Two beers to start off, Wuher. And I don't go by Kyoten anymore. Now, people call me Tobias. Just letting you know." Tobias gulped some beer and smiled at the crowd. Inuyasha stared into his glass.

"Come on! Eat, drink, and be merry. Have some fun!" Tobias drained his glass. Inuyasha took a sip, then drank some more. The taste wasn't that good, but already he could feel the beginning of the effects...

*Later*

Inuyasha stood on the table, swaying mightily even though it was perfectly steady. He was very blitzed, sozzled, looped, fried, tanked, whatever you like to call it.

"Hey, looook!" he shouted. "I can fly!" He took a quick step and launched himself into the air. Or at least he would have, had the step he took not been into open space. He crashed heavily onto the ground, eliciting shouts of laughter from the crowd (who was also very drunk.)

"Inayusha, you need to relax," came a voice from another table. Tobias was sprawled drunkenly across it, prone as he swallowed the contents of his glass. He was quite drunk as well. "Like me. Just lying around, jennoying the view..." He rolled over. "Heeey, my hair's standing up. OH NO! THE WORL TURNED USIDEDOWN! HELP! HELP! HE-" He was cut short as he, thrashing around, slid right off the table and had a brief meeting with Mr. Ground.

"Ooohh, I geddit," came his muffled voice. More laughter from the crowd. Tobias struggled to his feet and weaved his way over to Inuyasha, who was sitting on a stool. Tobias sat on the stool next to him and clapped his arm around Inuyasha's shoulder.

"Inyuyusha, we're pals now, right?" Tobias mumbled. Inuyasha gave a slow nod. "And palsh don't keep shecrets from eachuther, right?" Another drunken nod. "So what'sh thish about the shards?" Tobias said, lowering his voice even more. "Jusht between you an' me."

"Well, Tobiash, it's a looooong shtory," Inuyasha hazarded. "It begins fi' hundr' years ago..." He kept talking as Tobias listened attentively. Well, as attentively as one can listen when one is this stewed.

At Kagome's house, Kagome was watching television. She was not, however, focused on the show she was watching.

__

Where are those two? she thought. _It's been hours, and they're not back yet._

*Later later at the bar*

"That...that'sh really neat, Yuniyasha," Tobias murmured. "Abou' Naraku, an' the Shikon jew'l, and all that. But we'd better get home, K'gome'll worry."

"Jusht a few more drinksh firsht, tho," Inuyasha said, tripping over his words.

"Gooood idea. Wuher! A few more for me an' my besht pal here," Tobias shouted. He fumbled for one of his pockets. His hand encountered his sword hilt. His face brightened.

"Heeeey! I have a shword!" He pulled it out, but could only get it out halfway. "Ishn't that neat?" Inuyasha looked up and was very much impressed. His face contorted, as if he were trying to levitate his sake directly down his throat without all the trouble of picking up the glass. His face cleared and he seemed to remember something. Inuyasha scrabbled at his waist and pulled out Tetsusaiga. It transformed with a flourish.

"I got a shword too! Neato!" Inuyasha waved his around as the crowd parted to give him space. Tobias finally succeeded in unsheathing his.

"Hey! We can have a shword-fight!" Inuyasha cheered and started swinging wildly. The two fought haphazardly for a minute, then lost interest and stuck their swords back in their scabbards.

*Later later later at Kagome's house (think nighttime)*

Kagome's mother had arrived back from work, and Sota had come back from his friend's house. The only two missing were Inuyasha and Tobias. Kagome looked at her clock for the thousandth time. _Where **are** those two? When I get my hands on them, I'll..._ She was jolted out of her thoughts by the ringing doorbell. Kagome leaped up and rushed to answer it.

Nobody there. Kagome looked around in puzzlement, and was about to close the door when she heard a slight rustling noise. Tobias and Inuyasha leaped out of the bush next to the door. Kagome shrieked in surprise and backed away. The two guys roared with laughter and stumbled their way into the house. Kagome watched them, then her eyes widened.

"What...what happened to you?" she said, unsure of what to do. Sota crept downstairs and Mama came in from the laundry room. Both were shocked.

"Oh, we just had a liddle fun, that'sh all," mumbled Inuyasha. "Mebbe a few drinksh, mebbe..."

"You're drunk!" Kagome hissed.

"My dear lady!" roared Tobias. "I am not drunk! He ish drunk," he said, pointing at Inuyasha, who was wobbling like crazy. "That unsophisticated, boorish cretin is drunk!"

It took Tobias a long time to try and say that last sentence, and Kagome hated to interrupt him. "You're drunk too, you know," she said.

"I am not drunk! I, am intoxi...uhh, tinoxi...umm, tincoxicated...uhh..." He struggled for a little more. "All right! Sho I'm drunk! But Kagome," he continued, putting his arm around what he thought was her shoulder.

"That's my mother," said Kagome.

"But Kagome," Tobias repeated, choosing a different person.

"That's Inuyasha."

"But Kagome," Tobias tried valiantly again.

"That's a coat rack."

"Well, you're around here shomewhere, anywaysh. My point is, even if I'm drunk, you should not treat a PRINSH that way!"

This stunned Kagome. "A...prince?"

"Yesh, a prinsh. One of tha crown prinshes, of the kingdom of-" He abruptly fell asleep and collapsed on the kitchen floor. Inuyasha looked at him blearily. His consciousness stepped out for a quick breather. He joined Tobias on the floor.

Kagome sighed. "How are we going to get these two upstairs?" she asked nobody in particular. Sota had since fled back upstairs, and Mama just stood and stared at the whole situation. She had no idea either. Tobias was resplendent in his plate mail, and Inuyasha weighed a ton besides. Sota crept cautiously down the few remaining stairs.

"I can help!" he piped up. "We'll do it together." With much straining and complaining, the two swordsmen were finally deposited in beds. Tobias in Sota's, and Inuyasha in Kagome's. Kagome sat on the edge of her bed. _Where am I gonna sleep tonight?_ she thought, annoyed. _And what did Tobias mean when he said he was a prince?_ She made up her mind. Careful not to wake up Inuyasha, she lay down next to him on the bed and pulled the blanket over herself and him. She settled in and slept.

Yeah, yeah, it's short. But the previous one was nine pages. I need to cool down a bit. Review! (What else is there left to say?) More shameless plugs for Lasako and Kai19 go here. (Although I haven't seen Kai in a while. Kai, where are you?) Review some more!


	12. Thank You, Mr Exposition

Hello, all. No too many reviews for my latest chapter, but I don't care. This story will come out. No matter if NOBODY reviews it! No matter if it is SPURNED by the teeming masses of ff.net! EVEN IF I HAVE TO BREAK INTO THE FF.NET OFFICES AND STAPLE IT TO THE TABLE, THIS STORY WILL GET TOLD!!!!!!! ... Ahem. Feeling better now.

Chapter 12: Thank You, Mr. Exposition

Inuyasha woke up. Actually, he only sort of woke up. This is what went through his head:

__

Dark.

Where am I?

What happened?

Smells like...Kagome.

Heat is over. Good.

Still dark.

Comfortable.

Warm. Soft. Almost like...

Like Kagome's bed.

Smells like Kagome, Kagome is near, Kagome is...AGH!

Inuyasha's eyes snapped open. He found himself on Kagome's bed, with Kagome snuggled up next to him, her arms around his waist, asleep. The sun had risen. Inuyasha tried as hard as he could to piece together what he did last night, why he had a headache like someone had beat him against a stone wall, and why Kagome was currently sleeping next to him.

At least she had let go of her heat scent. He didn't have the temptation anymore...well, there WAS temptation, but one he could more easily resist. He struggled with his very uncooperative memory, and came up with some broken fragments. _Going to the bar with Tobias...having a few drinks...having a few more drinks...having a few MORE drinks...telling him...oh, shit. He knows. But does he remember?_ Inuyasha attempted to get up, but Kagome only made a soft noise and tightened her grip around him. He sighed and sank back onto the bed. Nothing to do now but wait for Kagome to get up.

In Sota's room, Tobias arose and immediately wished he hadn't. He felt like another building had fallen on him, and he clutched at his head as he dizzily navigated the room. Hangovers he'd had, but this was something totally else. _Arrgh...my head. What happened last night? Oh yeah...we got drunk...and...he told me some very interesting news..._ He stumbled out of the room and went downstairs. Mama was making breakfast and Sota was sacked out on the couch. Mama smiled at Tobias as he came into the kitchen.

"Oh hello, Tobias. I'm trying something new today. Belgian waffles. Are you feeling any better after last night?" _She seems peculiarly unfazed about last night,_ Tobias thought blearily.

"I'm fine..." he said weakly. "Just...a hangover, I guess. I'll be okay in a while."

Back upstairs, Kagome finally woke up. She groggily noticed the position she and the very red-faced Inuyasha were in. She smiled inwardly at Inuyasha's reaction. _He's so cute when he's confused..._ She disentangled herself from him and rose.

"Inuyasha, could you leave for a minute while I get dressed?" she asked sweetly. Inuyasha got up, then staggered. Kagome laughed out loud. "Paying for last night, right? I hope you enjoyed yourself. Now scoot." She shoved him out the door. The door closed behind him, but didn't quite catch, and remained a fraction open.

Inuyasha tried to sort out his thoughts, but one kept coming up and demanding to be noticed.

__

Kagome is in that room, changing, and the door is open enough for you to look.

With his sleep-fogged brain, Inuyasha did not even consider the ramifications (and possible consequences) of peeking. He tiptoed over to the door, ears focused on any sound that came, as he stealthily slid over to the crack, where he saw...

"INUYASHA!!!" came a voice from the stairs.

Normally, this would have upset Inuyasha's sensitive ears and caused him to shout at the person who yelled it. But the combination of his sensitive hearing, the fact that he was currently focusing his hearing to pick up anything, and his headache; well, he clutched at his head and fell over on the floor.

Sota's head appeared at the corner of the hallway. "Inuyasha! Kagome! Mom says breakfast is ready!" Inuyasha whined to himself. He scuttled away from the door moments before it flew open, and Kagome stepped out, now dressed.

"What are you doing just lying there? Come to breakfast!" She skipped through the hallway and into the kitchen. He pulled himself into a standing position and went down the stairs as well. Inuyasha seated himself at the table, where Kagome, Tobias, Sota, and Mama were waiting for him. Tobias looked as bad as Inuyasha felt. He sat down heavily.

Mama served the waffles, and everybody started eating. Sota spoke up.

"So, Inuyasha-" Tobias and Inuyasha both cringed.

"Not so loud," Inuyasha whispered.

"Head hurts," mumbled Tobias.

"Well, you had enough to drink last night, I'm not surprised," said Kagome cheerily. They both glared at her. She was entirely too happy this morning.

"Inuyasha, I remember something from last night," Tobias mumbled. "You told me a wonderful story about demons, and monsters, and the Shikon no Tama." Everybody froze. He had told him? "Now tell me," Tobias continued, almost giggling at the looks on everybody's faces. "One thing you neglected to make clear is how exactly you get to Feudal Japan. Could you explain that? You told me everything else, so this can't possibly hurt..."

Kagome turned and looked at Inuyasha. When he looked at her eyes, he was practically knocked off his chair by the death glare she sent him. He recovered and gave her a mean look.

"What?" he barked. "I wasn't thinking straight!"

"You're DAMN RIGHT you weren't thinking straight!" Kagome screamed. "What in all creation possessed you to tell him about the jewel? How drunk were you?! You're not supposed to tell ANYBODY and you KNOW it! You're lucky he doesn't think you're a mental case right now!" Kagome breathed hard as she gave him a furious glare.

"Actually, I believe him. But could someone answer my question?" Tobias had a big smile on his face. _Ha! The mighty Inuyasha, chewed out by Kagome. That's a riot._ But his smile vanished when Kagome turned to him with an evil grin on his face. Tobias hid his expression by gobbling another waffle.

"So, Tobias...what's this about you being a prince?" Tobias choked on his waffle. He coughed a few times, then cleared his throat.

"A...prince?" She nodded. "Did I say that?" She nodded again, and Sota nodded too. Beads of sweat appeared on Tobias's forehead. "Well...what I _meant_ was...I...we had a knighting ceremony!"

Kagome's evil grin melted into a confused look. "What?" Inuyasha looked mighty puzzled, too.

"Yeah! A knighting ceremony. We took our swords, and knighted each other, and declared each other princes of the kingdom." Tobias seemed calmer now. "It was a lot of fun. From what I can remember, we commanded the 'peasants' to buy us drinks and sent a few people to the dungeon."

"I don't remember that," Inuyasha said.

"Well, I don't remember half the stuff we did either. But rest assured that we did." Tobias drank some milk. "I heard you say you were leaving today for something. Using all of my powers of logic and deduction-" "Not much," Inuyasha muttered, Kagome suppressed a laugh- "I determined that you're going back to Feudal Japan today. And so, I present you with a question."

"Can I come?"

Stunned silence. This was totally not what they had been expecting. Finally, Inuyasha cleared his throat.

"Umm...you know, all we do is hunt for shards. No partying or movies or anything, just hunting for shards."

"In fact, there are no parties or movies. Just more shards," Kagome cut in.

"I know. I don't mind. Can I come?"

Kagome and Inuyasha thought about this for a while.

"Umm..."

"What, are you afraid I'm going to steal the jewel?" Tobias laughed. "Kagome wears it around her neck, right? I wouldn't take it. I have no need for it, not being a demon and all. Even if I wanted it, I can't use it now; it isn't finished and I have no idea of how to get the rest."

He stood up and swayed with the effort. "I think this hangover is finally leaving me," he muttered. "Yours should be too, Inuyasha. At any rate, I have to go back to my house to get some supplies. I'll stop back here once I've gotten everything. If you want to take me along, stay here and when I come back, we'll go. If you don't, just leave. I'll manage." He walked to the door. "So long. Be back in an hour." He left.

Kagome bolted upstairs. Mama gave her a puzzled look, then turned to Inuyasha and shrugged. Inuyasha went upstairs after her. He went into her room, and saw her on her bed. She looked very angry. He sighed and closed the door, prepared for a shouting. And a shouting she gave him.

"What the HELL were you thinking? Telling him about the jewel? You are so STUPID! You're the DUMBEST JERK in the WORLD! What if he decides to attack me and get the shards? What if he finds out how to get to the past? What if he's secretly siding with Naraku? YOU DON'T KNOW! I cannot BELIEVE that you told him EVERYTHING that I have tried SO hard to keep SECRET for the last THREE YEARS OF MY LIFE! And YOU go and just BLAB EVERYTHING to some guy you've known for LESS THAN A WEEK!!!!" Kagome seemed spent. She flopped backwards onto her bed, still growling at Inuyasha for his stupidity. Then she sat up a little.

"So...do you think he can come?"

Inuyasha was completely thrown by this. He scrabbled for an answer. "Uh, yeah. But only for a few days! And if he tries anything funny, I'll kill him." Kagome giggled.

"Yeah, I know that," she said. Inuyasha cautiously approached her.

"Kagome, you aren't angry anymore! Why not?"

She turned to him. "What's the use of being angry? It's not like we can do anything about it. What are we gonna do, erase his memory? I used up all my anger shouting at you just now. I just had to get it out of my system, that's all. I'm still a little upset, but he seems trustworthy enough." Kagome fell back on the bed again. Inuyasha gave a small smile and lay down next to her on the bed.

"I could always kill him. That'll stop him from telling anyone else." Kagome looked at him with an inquisitive look.

"You think you can? He's pretty powerful..." She grinned slightly as Inuyasha's face contorted into fury.

"Of course I can, wench! He may have armor, but there isn't a human alive that can beat me! That sword is nothing! I could tear him to pieces even without Tetsusaiga!" He looked down at Kagome and noticed she was rocking with silent laughter.

"Aww...my little puppy has a fragile ego...that's so cute!" Her hand edged up Inuyasha's back to rest between his ears. She took one in her hand and began to rub it gently. "Little puppy want his ears rubbed?"

__

He didn't want me to do this before because we weren't close enough. But we're close now... All dogs like it when you rub their ears. Inuyasha must. Kagome's thoughts were confirmed when Inuyasha leaned his head into her hand and let out a faint growl that almost sounded like a purr.

Inuyasha vaguely thought there was something wrong with this, but right now he didn't care. Like Kagome had thought, he loved having his ears massaged. But he didn't want her to know that before. Now...now was a different story. He scooted his body to get closer to hers and relaxed completely. Waves of contentment rolled over his body, and he purred again. Kagome giggled at this, and used her other hand to massage his other ear.

Inuyasha felt like he would just melt into a puddle at Kagome's simple caresses. He curled up into a ball and just lay there as Kagome stroked his ears. If he had a tail, it would be waving with gusto right about now. He didn't ever want her to stop...

"Hey again. I left my cell phone here. Have you seen it?" Tobias poked his head into Kagome's room. The ear-massage abruptly ended as Kagome whirled to confront this new invasion. Tobias looked mildly surprised. "I'll come back," he offered. Inuyasha sat up a little, and watched him leave. He held a finger to his lips to silence Kagome, then crept out into the hallway.

A series of satisfying thumps, a crash, a very loud and very rude utterance from Tobias, and Mama's answering shout all told Kagome that Inuyasha had just pushed Tobias down the stairs. Her suspicions were confirmed when Inuyasha came back into the room, grinning from ear to ear.

"He interrupted us one time too many," he said for an explanation. His face told the rest. _He deserved it,_ was the clear message. Kagome laughed out loud and walked out of the room, followed closely by Inuyasha.

Agh! Tobias strikes again! How many of you think he deserved it? To answer, just REVIEW!

Lasako, I was interested in putting you in my story, since you seem to like it so much. I sent you a few emails about it, but you never responded. (It might be my crappy email system, though. It does things like that.) So answer in your review! That way I'll be sure to get it. And to everyone else...**_REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_**

And to all, I have decided to make this story more reader-interactive. So at certain points, the reviews will indicate which way the story goes! Where someone goes, what someone does...whether someone lives or dies...

And yes, Koga, Sesshomaru and Kikyo will ALL make appearances at one point. However...I can tell you this much. *sideways glance* *nonchalant check* At least one of them will die. BUT I WON'T TELL YOU WHO!!!


	13. A Meeting And A Chase

Hello, all. FF.net is being an ass recently. I couldn't upload the chapter for days! It's sort of short compared to most of mine...sorry about that. I just got _Diablo II _and my attention has been...*ahem* otherwise occupied. I'm changing my email address. My yahoo! one seems to be auto-deleting all messages sent to me that are not in my address book, so for future reference send messages to vi@moreaufamily.us until further notified. I'm borrowing this email addy until I can get a better one else where. STORY AHOY!

Chapter 13: A Meeting And A Chase

Tobias ran along the sidewalk. Contrary to popular belief, he hated cars and always went by foot if possible. Besides, it wasn't that far to go. As he jogged along, he was thinking very hard. He was so deep in thought, that he completely missed the young woman on the sidewalk ahead of him and ran straight into her.

He caught the brunt of it and went flying. The woman gasped and ran to him. She helped him up.

"Are you okay? 'Cause you went flying like that, and that would really hurt if I did that, and-" Words failed her as Tobias raised his head and looked at her face.

"T-Tobias?" she stammered.

Tobias's eyes widened. "Lasako? What are you doing here?" He was about to inquire further when Lasako flung her arms around him with a squeal of excitement.

"Ohmygawd, it's so great to see you again! It's been so long! Remember all the stuff we used to do together? How we would go to the movies, and go to the galleries, and make out near the park at midnight? Remember?" Her raving was cut short when she saw the closed, angry expression on Tobias's face. "Tobias? What's wrong?"

He lit a cigarette and refused to meet her eyes. "I haven't forgotten what you did to me."

Lasako looked confused. "What did I do?"

"Kenny," Tobias snapped.

"I thought you were dead!"

"I told you where I was!"

"You were gone for a year! That might not seem too long to you, but it is to me! I thought you had finally caught up with him!"

Tobias looked crestfallen. "No, he slipped through my fingers again." He looked into her eyes sorrowfully. "In a way, I'm sort of glad I couldn't catch him," he whispered. "I don't know what will happen when we finally meet again."

"That's not important!" squealed Lasako. "What's important is that we're TOGETHER AGAIN! We can finally do all the cool things that we haven't done ever since you left!"

"What about your little boyfriend?" muttered Tobias.

Lasako's expression turned swiftly to wrath. "He did something I will totally NOT forgive him for. The jerk-off."

"Oh...I'm sorry." Tobias did not sound sorry in the least.

Lasako shrugged it off. "Kenny can roast in the seventh level of hell for all I care. I never forgot about you, Tobias. You should know that. But now we can be a couple again, like we used to. You know I wouldn't forget about you..." She stepped forward and cupped Tobias's cheek in her hand. "You know I still love you." The way she said it, he knew there was no doubting it.

Tobias smiled. "I'm sorry I got upset. I should have known. I...I still love you too." She smiled back.

"How about you come over to my place? I want you to meet Bob! He's my computer."

"You know I'd love to..." Tobias looked as though all was forgiven. Which it was. "But I'm leaving again. And soon." Lasako's face fell. "He's closer than ever, Lasako. I have to go after him. We both know that."

"Don't go...not after I just found you again..." Tobias smiled.

"Don't worry, Lasako. I _will_ come back for you." His voice dropped for a whisper. "I promise." She hugged him tightly, or as tightly as she could considering his armor. She leaned her head back and kissed him lightly. Lasako released him, then slowly walked away.

"I promise!" Tobias called out after her. She turned and grinned at him. Tobias began running again.

__

I thought she had forgotten all about me. This is good. I'd better come back, or else she'll never let me forget it. He smiled inwardly at this. _I wonder where _he_ is now?_ Tobias stretched his senses out to see if he noticed anything. It hit him like a ton of bricks. _Oh, shit...he's heading for Kagome and Inuyasha!_ Tobias abruptly changed directions and rushed back towards Kagome's house.

This was no jog through the park, though. Tobias whistled through the air, faster than any car on the street. People blinked and started at the blur that passed by them on the sidewalk. _Too slow..._ he thought grimly. He took a mighty leap and landed on one of the rooftops. He bounded from rooftop to rooftop at blinding speeds, heading on a straight vector to Kagome's house.

Inuyasha was sitting near the window. His ears pricked up at an approaching noise, which was closing in rapidly. He stood up abruptly and stared out the window, trying to identify what it was.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome approached. "What is it?"

"Something's coming..." he muttered. "It's really fast. It's-" His keen eyes caught a glimpse of a billowing cape and black armor. "Tobias?!"

Tobias hurtled towards the house, clearing the roof with one flying leap. Inuyasha ran out the back door to follow him. Tobias dashed through the backyard, came to the shrine, and burst through the door like it was made of air. He jumped into the well...

...and landed at the bottom with a thud.

Inuyasha came in through the shattered remains of the door and peered into the well. Tobias barely noticed him. _He seems to have just vanished...nah, it wasn't him. I'm probably still feeling the effects of last night._ Tobias climbed out of the well. Inuyasha glowered at him.

"What?"

"Why did you come rushing in here? And how can you run that fast?"

Tobias seemed unruffled by Inuyasha's glare. He took out his cigarettes and lit one. He puffed on it for a minute before responding.

"I've always been able to run fast. And I thought somebody was in here."

Kagome came up behind Inuyasha. "Tobias, you came in here like a bat out of hell! Why were you going so fast?"

"I thought somebody was in here," Tobias repeated. "But it was just a figment of my imagination. Don't worry about it."

Inuyasha and Kagome exchanged glances. Inuyasha spoke up.

"We've thought about it...and we've decided. You can come with us." Tobias brightened. "But only for a few days!" Inuyasha warned. "After that, you can go straight back home." Tobias's expression became odd and unreadable.

"Home..." he whispered. "I don't have a home..." Pulling himself together, he looked Inuyasha straight in the eye. "So how is it we get to the past?"

Inuyasha pointed to the well. "Go down there."

Tobias started. "I just went down there, and I ate dirt at the bottom."

"Only a few people can travel through the well, and usually you need a jewel shard," Kagome broke in. Tobias seemed lost in thought.

__

Does that mean...could he have...no, that isn't possible. He doesn't have a 'shard'. I must have drunk way too much last night. Tobias grinned at the two in the doorway.

"So...shall we?"

REVIEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! And to Lasako: I hope I got your *ahem* unique personality right.


	14. Finally, To The Past!

Hello, all. Me again. I felt terrible about the tiny chapter last time, so I put in a longer chapter with a huge fight scene inside! Aren't I the greatest? REVIEW!

Chapter 14: Finally, To The Past!

Tobias leaped out of the well and was staggered by what was around him.

"This is...really nice. A pristine wilderness, mostly untouched by man." He took a deep breath. "And no pollutants in the air to kill you when you breathe. Just crisp, cool oxygen."

He then proceeded to light a cigarette. Inuyasha and Kagome looked at him funny.

"What?"

"Never mind. Let's go, we've got a lot to catch up to. We've been gone way too long," Inuyasha spat. Kagome smiled. _Yeah...that's Inuyasha, all right._ "Where did we say we would meet Miroku and Sango?"

"I think at the village a few miles south of here," said Kagome. "If we hurry we can get there today."

They set off at a brisk pace. Inuyasha wanted to run, but Tobias said he wanted to 'savor the pristine beauty of the forest'. After a "Feh" from Inuyasha, they decided to walk. It really wasn't that far anyway.

"So, Kagome...who are Miroku and Sango?" Tobias asked.

"Two friends who live in this time. Miroku is a monk, and Sango is a demon huntress. Miroku has a curse on his right hand called the air rip. If he takes off his rosary, a vortex forms out of his hand and starts sucking everything in. But it's growing, and eventually it'll suck him in too. Killing Naraku is the only way to break the curse. Sango's family was killed by Naraku, and her brother was resurrected and brought back to fight against her. So she's out for vengeance."

"So...everybody has a reason to kill Naraku. Makes sense. I certainly have a reason." Tobias stooped to pick up an interestingly shaped rock. "Anyone else I should know about?"

"Well, there's Shippo and Kirara. Shippo is a little fox demon who Inuyasha rescued from a couple of demons called the Thunder Brothers. Kirara is Sango's assistant; a cat demon who can transform into a really big cat demon and fly."

"Sounds about right." Tobias strode along. His cigarette had burned down, and he flicked it carelessly to the side.

"Tobias!" Kagome shouted irritably. "You said this was 'pristine beauty'? Well, don't mess it up by littering. Besides, you could start a fire." Tobias looked affronted. He retrieved the cigarette butt and deposited it carefully into a pocket of his robes.

****

CRASH!"

"What was that?" Tobias halted and looked around. Inuyasha's ears pricked up to listen.

****

CRASH!!

"It sounds sort of like…giant footsteps!" Kagome said worriedly.

**__**

CRASH!

Inuyasha pulled out Tetsusaiga. The rusted blade transformed in his hands, as the sound grew nearer. Tobias put his hand on his sword hilt.

**__**

CRASH!!

"Kagome!" barked Inuyasha. "Do you sense any shards?"

"Umm…" She concentrated. "No…actually, I don't."

**__**

CRASH!!!

"Whatever this thing is, it doesn't have any shards. It sounds big. Real big!" Inuyasha said. Tobias unsheathed his sword.

Suddenly, the forest to their left fell down as if crushed by a bulldozer. A massive shape strode out.

****

THOOM!!!!

It was terrifying. It towered over them, as tall as some of the surrounding trees. It had fists like anvils and arms thick as tree trunks. Each part of its body – legs, torso, arms, fingers, head – was smooth and cylindrical. It had a cavernous mouth and two small dark eyes. Its skin was completely hairless and was a deep, glossy brown. It looked as though it had been sculpted rather than born.

As Kagome gaped, she couldn't help but think that it looked like a huge version of the stick dolls she had played with as a child. Then it spoke, with a voice that shook the very air around it.

****

"thou have entered the woods of the all-powerful naraku," it rumbled. **"for this offense, thou shalt die." **

Tobias ran over and took up a fighting stance next to Inuyasha. "With the size of this thing," he muttered, "I wouldn't be surprised if it did kill us."

"Did that thing say Naraku?" hissed Inuyasha. Before anyone could respond, the beast swung one of its fists toward the ground. Tobias and Inuyasha leaped away in different directions as the fist smashed into the earth, cracking the stone beneath.

Tobias recovered quickly and dashed towards the titan from behind. With alarming speed, it wheeled and swatted Tobias away with a ferocious backhand. The warrior went sailing through the air and smacked into a rock face. He fell to the ground and struggled to get up.

"Tobias!" shouted Inuyasha. He leaped high into the air, aiming to score a gash down the creature's middle with Tetsusaiga. He never made it. It smashed a punch straight at Inuyasha. Inuyasha went flying, landing among the branches of a pine tree close by.

The creature roared as Tobias ran up from underneath it and slashed its legs. "Kagome! Hide!" he yelled. He was abruptly cut off when it raised one leg and stomped him under its clublike foot. Kagome took his suggestion to heart, dashing behind a boulder. She peeked out over the top to watch the battle.

Inuyasha leaped from the branches and landed on the beast's head. He swiped at it with Tetsusaiga. It howled in pain; a terrible noise that made Kagome want to close her ears, made Inuyasha want not to have ears, and Tobias want for it to get off of him. It grabbed at Inuyasha, but the hanyou was too quick. He jumped back and landed on the top of a small oak.

"Ha!" Inuyasha taunted. "You can't hit what you can't catch, lumpy!" The behemoth stormed toward the tree (much to the relief of the suffering Tobias) and seized the trunk. It shook it, bellowing. Inuyasha wobbled but remained steady. "Oaf! You can't get me," he shouted.

The titan got a better grip on the tree, and ripped it out by the roots. It held it high in the air, flipped it over with Inuyasha clinging on for dear life, and drove the top of it into the ground. Inuyasha's hand popped out of the soil, and searched blindly for a handhold to pull himself out with.

He found one. Tobias yanked him out of the ground and plopped him on his feet. Inuyasha readied Tetsusaiga and was about to launch himself at the beast again when he glanced at Tobias. Inuyasha was startled at Tobias's apparent transformation. Tobias's eyes gleamed with rage. Inuyasha looked at Tobias's sword, and saw that it was glowing with a soft red light.

"That bastard is gonna pay for stomping me," he growled. "NOBODY steps on me and gets away that easily." The beast came roaring up the path towards them. Inuyasha held his sword tightly, but never got a chance. Tobias leaped impossibly high and seemed to hang, suspended in front of the beast's face. He slashed his sword one, two, three times across its ugly mug.

It bellowed, clasping its hands to its face. The action overbalanced it, and it fell with a bone-rattling thud. Tobias landed nimbly, while Inuyasha stared. Tobias turned to face him.

"Swiping at that S.O.B. with our swords isn't getting anywhere, and all I did was stun it. Got any ideas?"

Inuyasha grinned. "Yeah...just one." He put his claws into a wound he had suffered earlier and brought them out covered in blood. His hands crackled with power.

"Great! While you do that, I'll distract it." Tobias dashed in front of the behemoth and started yelling and swinging his sword at it. The beast tried to catch him, but it was like trying to catch a minnow in a pond. Tobias always slipped through its blundering fingers. Inuyasha brought his claws back, ready to strike.

"_Blades of Blood!_" The blades sliced a path through the behemoth. But, oddly, wherever they struck, fire sprang out on its skin.

"Fire?" Inuyasha said, boggled by this new development. "What...IS this thing?"

Bellowing, the titan beat out the flames with its huge hands. It stooped over, picking up a boulder to throw at Inuyasha and Tobias. Unfortunately, this happened to be the boulder Kagome was hiding behind. She shrieked in fear as her sanctuary was torn out from under her.

More unfortunately, the beast heard her. It chucked the boulder at the two warriors, scattering them like bowling pins; then it turned and swatted Kagome away. She sailed away and hit her head on a rock. Blood seeped out of a gash on her head. She lay still.

"_KAGOME!!!_" Inuyasha howled. He ran over to Kagome before the beast could blink. He picked her up and cradled her in his arms. "Kagome..." he whispered. He put his head to her chest and felt a strong heartbeat. Inuyasha was relieved that she was alive, but that feeling was rapidly being replaced by a burning anger, to destroy the thing that had done this to her. He gently lay her down on some soft grass, then picked up his sword and charged with all his might at the beast. He leapt at it, but just as he left the ground, he felt an iron grip holding him back.

"Inuyasha." It was Tobias. Inuyasha whirled angrily around to get him to release him, but when he looked at him he almost gaped. Tobias's features burned with a fury to match his own. "I know you're pissed off at that thing for attacking Kagome; and believe me, I am too; but just rushing at it will only get us both killed. I have a plan. We'll attack together and slice and dice this beast."

"I have another idea," Inuyasha growled. "How about you LET GO OF ME!" He struggled, but Tobias held firm. "Fine. I can shred this thing in one hit. Let me do that."

A slow smile spread over Tobias's face. "Right. Open up with that. Then you go on the right and I'll go on the left. Match your attacks to mine. Got it?"

Inuyasha brandished Tetsusaiga and growled. Tobias let him go, and the two stood side by side. The beast came roaring up the path towards them. "Ready?" Tobias muttered. It came closer, closer, closer...

"GO!" bellowed Tobias.

"_Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!_" Inuyasha cried. The attack sliced the monster wide open. Before it could defend itself, the two warriors hurled themselves at it. Slicing, ripping, tearing, a hundred blows landed in the space of a second. They leaped away to see what damage they had caused.

The beast was in pieces everywhere. Foul-smelling chunks of beast littered the path and the surrounding forest. Tetsusaiga and Tobias's sword were dripping with a dark black blood. Inuyasha flung down his sword and dashed to Kagome again. He picked her up and held her in his arms. Her eyes fluttered open.

"I-Inuyasha?" she whispered. "What happened? Are you okay? Where's that...that thing?"

"Shh...it's all right, Kagome. We killed it. You're safe now. Are you hurt? Do you need a bandage?" Kagome almost laughed at how protective Inuyasha was being. She struggled to a sitting position on the ground.

"I'm fine, Inuyasha. My head hurts, though. Is Tobias all right?" Inuyasha thought. Where was Tobias, anyway?

"Hey, Tobias! Are you okay?" he shouted.

"Inuyasha?" Came the response. "We have a problem. This is big. Really big."

"How big?" yelled Inuyasha. "Big enough to make me leave Kagome INJURED and come mess around with your stupid little problems? Is it that big?" No answer. "How big?!"

"I never had a good head for heights, but I'd say about forty feet tall." Inuyasha reeled and ran over to Tobias, who had a look of rapidly increasing shock on his face. The beast was reforming itself before their eyes. The pieces of it leapt off the ground and swiftly assembled themselves. Before long, the beast was whole again.

"**thou have done well, but not well enough. your pitiful strikes do no lasting damage to me. the abilities granted to me by the all-powerful naraku are vastly more powerful than thine. surrender or die,**" it boomed.

Tobias recovered and leaped at the titan, slashing a path across its midsection. Before he had landed, it was already healed. Inuyasha tried the same, with similar results. They regrouped and held a hasty conference.

"Well, shoot," Tobias said. "If we can't whack it with our swords, and you can't use your Iron Reaver something something, then we're in deep shit here. Is there anything that hurts this beast?"

"I don't...wait!" Inuyasha glanced at its torso. The burn mark from the _Blades of Blood_ attack was still there! "Tobias! Fire hurts it. My _Blades of Blood_ attack left a scar on it." Tobias appeared lost in thought. "Tobias? This is SORT OF IMPORTANT HERE!!" Inuyasha roared.

"Fire hurts it," Tobias whispered. His face resolved into grim determination. "I have a plan," he said. "Let me handle this one. I'll kill him in one shot." He drew his sword once more, which glowed with a soft red light. Tobias took off. He leaped from tree branch to tree branch, until finally he balanced atop a tree that was taller even than the beast.

"You!" he shouted. The beast turned. "Yes, you! You're the dumbest excuse for a living being I've seen this side of the world. How do you walk around without tripping over your own feet? My SWORD is smarter than you!" he bellowed. The monster growled and started towards Tobias's tree. Tobias held his sword straight up, in front of his face. He started to speak slowly.

"Big..." His voice echoed, like it was coming from a hundred miles away. The sword's glow increased. It became brighter and brighter.

"Bang..." The beast was almost to the tree by now. It was not frightened at all of Tobias and was ready to rip him to shreds.

"BLADE..." The sword shone like a torch in Tobias's hands. Tobias glanced down at Inuyasha, who was holding a very frightened Kagome. "Everybody...stand back!" he shouted. The beast recoiled before the light of Tobias's sword. Tobias used this distraction to leap high into the air, and bring his sword down on the beast, burying it to the hilt in the top of its head.

**__**

BOOOOOOOM!!!!

(imagine this in about 72 font here, folks)

A massive explosion of fire engulfed the beast and a bit of the surrounding forest. Inuyasha took off with Kagome, outrunning the blast, and stood in awe watching it. Suddenly, Tobias himself came flying out of the top, wreathed in flame. He came soaring down, the flames around him dissipating on the way down, landed near the two, and sheathed his sword. He then immediately collapsed to his hands and knees and began panting as if he had just been underwater for five minutes. His sword had lost its glow.

"What the FUCK was that?!" Inuyasha shouted. "If you could do that all this time, then WHY DIDN'T YOU EVER? DID YOU EVER THINK THAT WE COULD'VE USED THAT BEFORE?" Tobias lay there, gasping like a fish. "WELL?"

"I...can only...do that when...I'm enraged..." Tobias panted. "Let me...catch my breath...then I'll tell...you." After a few minutes, he regained his composure.

"Doing that takes a lot out of me. I thought you knew already that this was no ordinary sword," he explained.

"Well, I sort of realized that when you created that GIGANTIC EXPLOSION! HOW THE FUCK CAN YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT?!" Tobias held up a hand and struggled to his feet.

"I suppose there's no use hiding it anymore," he said slowly. "All right. I'll tell you."

"This sword has several powers. Some of them include giving strength, speed, agility, and fast healing (among other things) to the wielder. This sword in particular has a unique ability. When the wielder becomes enraged, truly enraged, its power increases tremendously. Not only that, but it gains powers of fire as well. You just saw one of them. There are about a dozen, all told. The wielder becomes immune to all fire, magical or mundane. I was enraged at the fact that Kagome was attacked by the beast, and so my sword's power activated itself. However, doing so exacts a terrible toll on my energy reserves. It's mainly used for short bursts of power. The longer I prolong it, the more power I use; the worse off I am at the end of it. All right? All right. That's my story."

REVIEW! What else can I say?


	15. This Does Not Bode Well

Hi! New chapter online, Cap'n. You may notice a slight change in the theme of the story, but it's just a quick diversion from the main context. READ THE STORY!

Chapter 15: This Does Not Bode Well

The three were walking down the forest path again. Inuyasha kept shooting glances at Tobias, who acknowledged each one with a smile and a cheery nod. Obviously, he wasn't too broken up about telling them his secret.

"So how much longer is it until we get to the village? I do NOT want to run into another one of those titans," Tobias said.

"We're almost there," said Kagome. "It should be just past this stand of trees."

"Finally! Civilization at last!" Tobias bounded ahead and went right through the forest. Kagome looked at Inuyasha funny.

"We've only been walking for half an hour...what's with him?" Inuyasha smirked and was about to respond in a very smarmy way, but a glare from Kagome silenced him. They walked on, through the trees. The first thing they saw was Tobias, on top of a hill overlooking the village. His back was to them. He seemed stunned about something. As soon as they cleared the hill, they found out why.

The village had been destroyed. Utterly destroyed.

Broken fragments of houses littered the ground, blood pooling on the ground from the slain townspeople. There was not an area that had been spared from the devastation that had swept the area. Tobias's face was pale as a ghost. He managed to get out a few words.

"Who...what did this?" he whispered. "Why..." He fell silent again. Then, slowly, very slowly, he walked down the hill. Kagome was absolutely horrified by the annihilated village. She clung to Inuyasha's fire-rat kimono like it was a life raft. Inuyasha tried to hide his emotions, as he always did, but even he could not mask the shock he felt from the scene splayed out before him. He began down the hill as well, with Kagome latched onto him.

No matter where they looked, it was always the same. Bodies everywhere. The broken fragments of a statue in the town square. The local priestess's shack, torn to bits. Kagome tentatively pushed aside the ruined door to look inside a house. She saw the occupants, dead, bleeding on the floor.

It was too much. She ran to a corner and got sick. Inuyasha appeared in the doorway._ Who did this? **Why**? How did this happen? It was Naraku. He **had** to have done it!_ He spoke up.

"Naraku did this," he said shortly. Kagome looked up at him, a little shaky from the scene she just saw. "Only he could do something this...this heartless." He took a step back, then left to look through the ruins. Tobias came up and put a comforting arm on Kagome's shoulder.

"I don't know who or what did this, Kagome," he said gently. "But rest assured, we _will_ find out who did it. And we _will_ make them pay." She sniffled and nodded appreciatively.

"Thank you, Tobias. I just wish..." Her eyes misted over. "I just wish...we could have been here to help..." She broke into tears. Tobias touched her arm lightly, then went off to find Inuyasha. Soon, Inuyasha's voice rang out through the devastated village.

"Kagome? Come here..." She got up and went over. Inuyasha and Tobias were standing in the remains of the village square.

"Kagome, I've searched all over this place. There are a lot of bodies..." Inuyasha paused for a second. "There are a lot of bodies, but Miroku and Sango aren't here. They must have escaped."

Tobias was looking out into the distance. The sun was setting, casting a fiery red shadow on a bloody red village.

"Tobias?" Kagome said softly. "Are you okay?"

He did not move for a long time. When he finally turned, there was such a look of sorrow and pain and anger in his eyes that none dared comment.

"Let's go," he said quietly. And without another word, he walked away. Inuyasha looked at the ground. _That bastard is gonna PAY for this. I swear it._ He motioned for Kagome to follow him, then trudged after Tobias.

None of them saw, in the middle of the elder's hut, the village leader who had been frozen into a solid block of ice. None of them saw the message carved into the ice.

__

I found you, Tobias.

"Where do you think Miroku and Sango are?" Kagome asked. They had set up camp for the night. The ramen was warming up over the flickering fire. Inuyasha was waiting for his ramen to cook. Tobias was staring into the fire.

"I don't know," said Inuyasha shortly. "They could be anywhere. We'll just have to look for them."

"Do you think they're okay?" Kagome's timer dinged. The ramen was done.

"They can take care of themselves. They're good enough at doing that." Inuyasha grabbed his bowl of ramen and slurped it down noisily. Tobias did not reply. He seemed lost in thought. He barely heard Kagome and Inuyasha talking. Instead, he was focused on his memories, those horrible memories which had been unearthed that day.

*Flashback*

Tobias ran. All around him was carnage, blood, and death. No matter where he looked, it was all the same.

"My friends," he breathed. "All the people I ever knew..." He quickened his pace and got to his house. He burst through the large double doors.

"Mother? Father?" He ran through the ruined structure. It was all the same. "Where are you?" His voice grew increasingly frantic. "Marcus? Are you okay?" Tobias found the door to his parents' private chamber. He flung it open and dashed inside.

He could not even bring himself to look. The blood dripping from the walls told him enough. He sank to his knees and clutched at his head as tears spilled from his eyes.

"They're all dead," he whispered, over and over. "They're all gone..."

*End flashback*

"Tobias!" Tobias yanked himself out of his stupor to find both Kagome and Inuyasha staring at him. "Are you okay?" Kagome sounded genuinely worried. Tobias forced a smile.

"I'm fine. Just thinking a little." He stood up. "You know what I think...I think we should just try and put this behind us." Kagome gave him an odd look. "No, really. It was a terrible tragedy, but we can't really do anything about it and dwelling on it is just going to get us all depressed. We'll find Miroku and Sango and then they can tell us what happened. It'll all turn out okay, I'm sure."

Inuyasha grinned at him. "So, you're alive again. You looked dead, sitting there."

"Not hardly, my dear hanyou. Just brooding." Tobias looked at his bowl. "Ramen? Ah, I hate this stuff."

"Well, that's all I've got. Inuyasha doesn't eat much else," Kagome said between spoonfuls.

"Bleeding hell. I'm gonna go hunt down a deer or something. I need meat." Tobias unsheathed his sword and strode off into the wilderness. Kagome watched him leave. She then turned to Inuyasha, who by this time had finished off his and Tobias's ramen.

"Inuyasha...who do you think did that...at the town?"

He snorted. "Isn't it obvious? Naraku. He's the only one who's enough of a bastard to do something like that."

"But he doesn't usually just attack towns like that...most of the time he has a reason for doing things."

"Maybe he was trying to capture Sango and Miroku. He would do something like that."

"Inuyasha..." Her eyes glassed over. "All those poor people..." She flung herself into Inuyasha's arms and hugged him tightly while she cried into his shoulder. Not knowing what to do, Inuyasha awkwardly caressed her back while holding her with his other arm. He whispered nonsensical endearments in her ear until she sniffled one last time and rose.

"Thank you, Inuyasha." She leaned in and kissed him briefly, before going over to tend the fire. Inuyasha grinned to himself. At least he got something out of this.

A few minutes later, Tobias arrived back at the camp, holding something in a large sack which Inuyasha recognized as being made of deerskin.

"My efforts have not been wasted. I got us some choice venison cutlets. He reached into the sack and pulled out some hunks of meat. "Kagome, are you still hungry?" She shook her head, repulsed slightly by the blood. "Inuyasha?" He nodded. "All right. So it'll be for Inuyasha and me." Tobias took some pointy sticks out of his bag and fashioned a crude spit. Soon, the meat was roasting nicely.

"Tobias?" said Inuyasha. "Why didn't you just cook it before?"

"How?" Tobias said.

"Well...with your sword." Tobias glared at him.

"I told you already. I don't have any powers of fire unless I'm enraged. And this deer did not exactly invoke the flames of hatred inside me." He sniffed the air. "I think the meat's done." He and Inuyasha ate some, then all three of them settled in for the night. Inuyasha was up in a tree, Kagome was in her sleeping bag, and Tobias was sitting against another tree.

"Goodnight, you two," Tobias called out. He closed his eyes.

"Goodnight, Kagome," Inuyasha said from the tree.

"Goodnight, Inuyasha," Kagome said from inside her sleeping bag.

The three waited out the long night...but only one slept.

Tobias's eyes were closed as he slumped against the trunk, but his mind was racing. _What could have done something like this? To innocent villagers? **What the hell happened**? It almost looked...like..._ He blinked furiously, to try and clear the images from his head._ What happened then had nothing to do with this. I should follow my own advice and just not think about it. Dwelling on it forever isn't going to help anyone, much less those poor people. And I have more important things to think about. Like, what will happen when I come back? Lasako's going to clobber me so hard...I shouldn't have left her. I'm getting mixed up in things that are way beyond me. And to top everything, I had to tell them. Great job, Tobias old boy. You royally screwed yourself this time. Next thing you know, they'll be asking about my past and how I got this sword in the first place! Hm. Like I'd tell them. I have no reason to, and I won't in the future. Unless...unless HE is here...argh, what am I thinking? I'm paranoid, that's what. I'm going to go train._ He stood up and walked away.

In the tree, Inuyasha was equally deep in thought. _Naraku isn't happy with just attacking us. Now he's gotta attack entire defenseless fucking villages! Kagome seems really broken up about it. I don't see why I should be. They're just humans, after all. If I had been there, Naraku would be a bloody corpse by now! We just HAD to stay that extra goddamn day, didn't we. I'm gonna pummel Tobias for delaying us like this. Now we won't be able to look for jewel shards because we'll have to go searching for Miroku and Sango! Kagome's gonna insist on that. This just sucks. ... Tobias really likes to hide stuff from us, doesn't he. If his sword could do that all the time, and he NEVER TOLD US? He probably **did** make that huge explosion in Kagome's time. Not that tri-nitro-whatever stuff he told us about. I wonder what else he hasn't told us._ He glanced down at Tobias. To human eyes and ears, he would have looked sound asleep. But Inuyasha's enhanced senses told him what was really going on. A twitch here, a mumble there, breathing out of sync; it was obvious that Tobias was pretending to sleep.

"Tobias," he called down, trying not to wake Kagome. Tobias did not say anything or open his eyes, but he nodded slowly. "What else haven't you told us?" Tobias smiled. _If only you knew, Inuyasha. If only you knew._

It's not all peaches and cream, so you see. But don't worry yourselves about it. I'm not gonna turn this fic into an angsty depressing one. Tobias's past is not a happy one, and we need to know about it. Just one hint, though. _It wasn't Naraku._ REVIEW...please?


	16. Chapter 16

Hi all. Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I have fallen prey to a terrible disease. That horrendous affliction that attacks all who post to ff.net...WRITER'S BLOCK! I wrote out the scenes in Kagome's time, I had those planned out from the beginning. But now that we get into the Feudal Era, I realize I have a bunch of action sequences...and no order and nothing to hold them all together. I will compensate by working twice as hard. In this chapter, Inuyasha and Kagome prove...heh heh heh...that they're not just friends. Read on!

Chapter 16: Chapter 16

Early the next morning, Kagome woke up to find herself alone. Inuyasha's tree was empty, and Tobias was nowhere to be seen. She rose up a little out of her sleeping bag, apprehensive but not fearful. She saw Tobias's armor lying on the grass near the fire. _Tobias took off his armor? Why?_ Kagome looked and saw a trail through the forest that had been sliced there with a sword. _Well, that answers where Tobias is, but..._ She got dressed and walked off on the trail.

After walking for about a minute, she came upon an area that she recognized as a hot spring. There was a boulder between her and it, blocking her view of whatever was there. Beyond the boulder, on the edge of the spring that she could just see from her angle, Kagome saw an unmistakable glint of the sun off of metal. _His **sword**?? He's just leaving it lying around?_ She was about to go around the boulder to investigate.

"Trust me, you don't want to go in there," came Inuyasha's voice from behind her. She turned, startled at him. She hit him over the head.

"Don't sneak up on me like that! I almost had a heart attack!" Inuyasha smiled.

"Tobias is in there, taking a bath." Kagome blushed a deep crimson and tore off in the direction of the campsite. _Well, that answers that..._ she thought as she arrived back at her sleeping bag. Inuyasha arrived not long afterwards. He was grinning from ear to ear. 

Kagome narrowed her eyes. "What are you so happy about?" she asked.

He was still grinning, which slightly unnerved her. "Well...for once, I know Tobias won't interrupt us."

"How...?" He was hiding something behind his back. What was it?

Inuyasha brought his hands out from behind him. He had a bundle of clothes that Kagome recognized as Tobias's. She wanted to get angry with him for doing that, but she could not hide the smile on her face.

"Inuyasha...you devil. When are you going to give them back?"

His grin, if that was possible, widened. "When we're through." He dropped the clothes and advanced on Kagome. She let out a small shriek of surprise when he caught her in a tight embrace, but soon her arms snaked around his back as well.

"This is probably the only time we'll ever get without Tobias barging in like he always does," whispered Inuyasha. "So let's make it count." Kagome giggled as he dipped his head and began kissing her neck. She pressed herself more fully against him, eliciting a groan from Inuyasha. She became bolder, and her hands crept up his back to rest between his ears. She began to lightly rub them, as she did before.

Inuyasha, sensing he was losing his dominance, brought his head back up and captured her lips in a bruising kiss. He was shocked when her tongue slid past his lips to rest in his mouth. _When did she learn this? It had better be from me..._ Inuyasha caressed Kagome's back and arms as his hands wandered over her body. She let out a small moan at Inuyasha's roaming hands. Neither of them really noticed as they sank towards the ground, eventually with Inuyasha lying on top of Kagome.

Neither of them noticed Tobias, furiously muttering, wearing some large leaves; come flying into camp and collect his clothes and armor; either. He, however, was so caught up in the injustice Inuyasha had done him that he failed to see Inuyasha or Kagome, favoring instead to stare at the ground. He ran off again.

Inuyasha's passion-fogged mind barely registered that he was subconsciously rocking his hips against hers. Kagome seemed to be enjoying it, though. He sucked on her tongue before edging his into the sweet cavern of her mouth. Their tongues began battling for dominance. One of Inuyasha's hands slipped under her shirt and crept toward her bra.

"Kagome..." he mumbled. Now was the time, he would say it now, he would prove it to her now!"

"Y-yes?"

"I lov-"

"You know, if you wanted privacy, you could have asked." Tobias was standing at the edge of camp, looking disapprovingly at their...activity. Inuyasha's vision turned a stark shade of red, with anger blazing up in him as he hurriedly withdrew his hand. He leaped up, stormed towards Tobias, and punched him out.

Tobias staggered, took a few steps back, and fell. Holding a hand over his eye as he rose again, he muttered, "He really packs a punch." He stood up. "Well, one would say that I deserved that," he began.

__

WHANG!

Tobias found himself on the ground again, in quite a lot of pain and holding a hand over his bleeding nose. Inuyasha looked at Kagome, who was holding a large cast-iron cooking pot and looking absolutely livid.

"You deserved that too!" she shouted at Tobias. He was currently on the ground, trying to find out if his nose had been broken. Kagome gave an angry noise of frustration (A/N: you know, like you do when you're pissed off at something), threw down the pot, and stomped back to her pack.

"Agony..." moaned Tobias.

Inuyasha stared at her with curiosity. She turned to him.

"What? I'm mad at him too!" She snatched up the pot and started cooking breakfast. Inuyasha threw his head back and howled with laughter at Tobias, who was struggling to get up without bleeding too much. Tobias gave him a death glare.

"You're a riot, you know," he said shortly.

Inuyasha leaned close to him and whispered. "This makes up for all your laughing when I had to spend the night with Kagome and she was in heat." Inuyasha straightened up, walked over, and sat next to Kagome near the fire. He gave her a small kiss on the cheek. She giggled as she poured out the instant ramen.

"Ramen again?! Dammit. Don't you have _anything_ else?" Kagome shook her head at Tobias's frustration. "Fine. I'll go find something myself then." He started to walk away, then stopped and turned back. "That is, assuming I don't faint from blood loss." He left.

Inuyasha started getting all flirty with Kagome again, nibbling at her neck as she cooked the ramen.

"Inuyasha..." said Kagome in a breathy voice, then regained her composure. "Not now. You know that if we do, Tobias is gonna come back two seconds later and say he forgot something." Inuyasha growled quietly but sat back down.

Five seconds later, Tobias walked back into camp. "Forgot my wrist guards," he muttered. He clamped them on, then left again. Kagome looked at Inuyasha as if to say "I told you so." The egg timer dinged and Kagome served the ramen. Inuyasha slurped down his and Tobias's.

A few minutes later, Tobias came back into camp. He had a bowl of rice, fish, and vegetables and was eating from it with some chopsticks. Kagome stared at him.

"Where did you get that?" Tobias's mouth was full, and he swallowed before responding.

"I don't know. Some guy." Inuyasha narrowed his eyes.

"You mean some guy just walked up to you and handed you that food?" he demanded.

"No. I got it from the village."

"But the village was dest-" Kagome caught herself as she saw a pained look come over Tobias. He shook it off in a second, though.

"Not that village. The other one." He ate some more.

"What other village? There isn't one for twenty miles," Inuyasha said, puzzled. Tobias paused and looked at Inuyasha.

"Oh. It's that far? I didn't know, I just ran."

"You ran forty miles in half an hour?" Kagome asked.

"I run fast." He finished the bowl. "I was hungry." Tobias tossed the bowl away. He walked over. "Are you two finished yet? I want to get on the open road again." They packed up their stuff, and eventually started walking through the forest again.

"So tell me, Inuyasha," remarked Tobias as they went through the trees. "I know about Naraku, Miroku, and Sango. Any other notables I should hear about?"

"Well, there's Shippo. He's a little fox demon and a real brat." – "_Inuyasha_!" Kagome shouted. – "We left him with a group of fox demons that were willing to take him in a few months ago, so I don't think you'll see much of him. And then there's Myoga. He's a flea demon who's a coward. He only shows his puny face when there's nothing dangerous around."

"Go on, go on." Tobias seemed interested.

"And there's a few more people," continued Kagome. "There's Koga, a wolf demon who thinks I'm his...his _woman_." – "He'd change his tune if he saw you two." "What was that?" "Nothing..." – "Sesshomaru, who's Inuyasha's older brother. He keeps trying to kill Inuyasha and get the Tetsusaiga."

"It's a very nice sword," agreed Tobias.

"Then there's Kikyo. With her...it gets sort of complicated. I'm her reincarnation from the future – well, the future of this place, anyway. She was the guardian of the Shikon jewel and now, I am. She died fifty years ago, but came back somehow and is wandering around these woods. She's a miko, like I am, and she also uses a bow." Kagome had carefully omitted all the information about Inuyasha's relationship with her, so as not to create more havoc and possibly get Inuyasha upset. Tobias grimaced.

"Don't tell me...she puts a special spell on her arrows that paralyzes whoever they hit."

Kagome was confused. "Yeah...sometimes...how did you know?"

"Oh...just a hunch." Tobias slowly leaned forward and fell on his face. An arrow stuck out of his back.

"Tobias!" shrieked Kagome. She rushed to him, but halted at the sight of a raven-haired undead miko, holding a bow.

"So," said Kikyo in a silky voice. "There's someone else tagging along you two. He didn't even see me coming. What a shame. Now he's gone and died."

To Kikyo's astonishment, Kagome's face shone with defiance as she glared at the undead priestess.

"No, Kikyo! I know he's not dead. He won't die that easily!" Kagome stooped down and lifted Tobias's head. His eyes were glassy and blank. She let go of him, and his head fell back down. Kagome stood up.

"What did you do to him? He was my friend!" she shouted.

"He means nothing," said Kikyo shortly. "What is important..." she walked around Kagome to come close to Inuyasha, "...is you."

Through all of this, Inuyasha had not moved even an eyelash. Everything seemed to be happening at once. The destroyed village, Kagome and him doing...that, and now Kikyo's appearance. But as Kikyo closed in on him, he swallowed hard but remained where he was.

Kikyo lifted her hand to lightly caress Inuyasha's face. "What's the matter, Inuyasha?" she whispered. "Upset about your friend? He doesn't matter. All that matters is me...and you." She lifted her other hand to cup Inuyasha's face in her hands.

"K-Kikyo..." Inuyasha began. "I..." his voice failed him. Past Kikyo, he could see Kagome glaring daggers at him. _The nerve of him!_ she thought furiously. _After all we did this morning, now he's going to go run off with her! I thought he had gotten past her!_

"Kikyo..." Inuyasha began again. "I...this morning...I think...Kagome..." Kikyo's face turned sour, like she had just swallowed a lemon.

"That stupid girl is nothing but a copy of me," she hissed. "A mere replica. Why bother with her when you have me?" Her face turned soft again. "Come with me, Inuyasha," she whispered. "Come with me to hell, and we can be together forever."

"I-"

"Kikyo, you made four mistakes just now," came a voice from behind the whole deal. Tobias was on his feet again, and looked thoroughly pissed off. "The first one, trying to seduce Inuyasha when both him and I know full well he and Kagome were making out this morning by the fire."

Kikyo let go of Inuyasha and whirled furiously around to glare at Tobias. "You!" she shouted. "I shot you! What happened?" She glanced backward at Inuyasha. "I'll talk to you about _her_ later," she growled.

"Well, that brings us to your second mistake. Before you shoot someone with an arrow..." Tobias reached one arm behind his back and tugged at the arrow still lodged in there. "Make sure that person isn't wearing _armor_." He pulled out the arrow and threw it away. "You didn't even penetrate. But that goddamned spell still took effect. Which leads me to your third mistake.

"Your magic is strong, yes, but I have a stronger one." He pulled out his sword slowly, so that the morning sun gleamed off of it. "Then there's the fourth mistake." He lowered his voice. "Just because someone is paralyzed doesn't mean he can't hear anymore. You're trying to seduce him and it won't work."

Kikyo's face had turned ugly. "What do _you_ know about these matters?" she spat. "You didn't know that we were together for years before _she_ found him?" Kikyo angrily indicated Kagome with one hand.

"Yeah, well, that was then and this is now." Tobias unsheathed his sword. "But I haven't forgotten about you shooting me with an arrow. That's something I tend not to forget. So unless you can come up with a _really_ good explanation, I-" Tobias looked down to see another arrow stuck in his unarmored shoulder. "Well, fuck," he croaked before he passed out again.

Kikyo broke into an evil smile. "There. Now maybe he'll finally stay down for long enough...for us to have a nice trip." She took Inuyasha's hand.

"NO!" cried Kagome. She rushed Kikyo and, summoning her miko powers, blasted her with energy. Kikyo was stunned and flung off of Inuyasha. Kagome whipped out her bow and pulled an arrow to the taut string, but she felt a clawed hand stopping her from releasing it. "Inuyasha!" she snapped. "Let go!"

"Don't hurt her!" growled Inuyasha. "I promised to protect her." Kikyo got up off the ground, her evil grin firmly in place.

"Thank you, Inuyasha, for holding that bitch off me long enough...for me to defend myself." A rush of purple energy streaked out of Kikyo's outstretched palm and slammed into Kagome with devastating force. Kagome lay sprawled out over the dirt. It felt like a truck had hit her when Kikyo blasted her. She had broken at least two ribs, and Kami knows what else.

"Inuyasha..." she said weakly. She tried to get up. Inuyasha stood frozen like a statue. The two women he cared about were attacking each other, what could he do? He couldn't bring himself to harm either one.

"Just a moment, love," sneered Kikyo. "Let me take care of a little...problem, then we can go to hell together." She released his hand and strode over to the fallen Kagome. Kikyo planted a foot on Kagome's chest, making Kagome cry out in pain.

"I don't know why I've never done this before," she smirked. "I can finally get rid of you now."

"But you won't." Tobias was back on his feet. If he had been mad before, now he was absolutely livid. His sword was glowing. "You will not harm her. You will let her go, and you will never sully her presence with your undead filth ever again." Kikyo snorted.

"Big talk," she said. "But both of us know how to keep you down." Kikyo nocked an arrow and let it fly. It landed right in the middle of Tobias's forehead. His head snapped back, then came forward again. Tobias had a horrible grimace on his face.

"That hurts," he breathed. "But I'm not falling for that again." He held his sword in one hand and grasped the arrow shaft with the other. With a grunt of pain, he tore the arrow from his head. Tobias clenched the arrow in his fist, and it burst into flames and dwindled to ashes. He grasped his sword with both hands and began walking slowly towards her, his head wound already healing.

Kikyo was surprised at his resilience, but recovered quickly. She spread both hands, and a hazy barrier sprung up to block Tobias's progress. He smashed a punch into the barrier, but it held. With a roar, he swung his sword with all his might. The barrier shattered and dissipated.

"Your tricks will not hold me," he hissed through clenched teeth. "Nothing will save you now." He advanced and brought his sword down on Kikyo's head.

Only it never got there. Tetsusaiga blocked its progress. Tobias glared at Inuyasha.

"What are you doing?" he growled. "Get out of the way, so I can kill this bitch!"

"I won't let you hurt her," Inuyasha said defiantly.

"Let me get this straight. She shoots me with three arrows, she blasts Kagome, she tries to drag you off to hell and _I can't hurt her_?!"

"Y-Yes." Inuyasha did not waver.

"_And why not_?" roared Tobias. Inuyasha opened his mouth as if to speak, then shut it again. He couldn't think of why. _I swore to protect her, but at the cost of Kagome's life? This isn't fair. I can't...I don't know. What can I do?_

Kikyo began to drift away on the wind. "When you have finally discarded this fool, I will be waiting for you, Inuyasha," she called out as she left.

"NO!" howled Tobias. His sword's glow increased and he sent Inuyasha flying with his increased power. He rushed to where Kikyo had stood, but there was only emptiness. Tobias snorted. A tiny little flame curled out of his nostril. He slowly sheathed his sword, then stared off into the distance.

"That psycho bitch," he snarled. "If she ever shows her face around here again, I'll cut her to pieces." He turned and came to Kagome in a few quick strides. "Kagome," his voice softened. "Are you all right?"

Kagome shook her head. She was bleeding, and great ugly bruises had appeared all over where she was hit. Tobias closed his eyes for a minute, then turned to Inuyasha.

"Can you defend the two of us for a few minutes?" Inuyasha snapped back to reality and gave an assertive nod.

"Of course I can. I've been defending her since the day I met her."

"Good. Kagome, take this." Tobias drew out his sword and placed it in Kagome's hands. As she grasped its handle, she felt a most peculiar tingling sensation build up in the areas where Kikyo had blasted her. Kagome peeked under her collar and saw that the bruises were fading and the cuts were closing over, although slowly. She looked back up at Tobias questioningly.

"You know this sword grants healing powers. But it grants them to whoever possesses it at the time. You are currently possessing it, so you have the powers." Kagome seemed a little frightened.

"But what about your injuries? Kikyo shot you..." Tobias had a flat expression.

"Yes, I know. But the healing sped up when my power increased just then. And besides, I have a healthy constitution even without that sword. When you feel okay again, give me back the sword." He stood up, walked away, and leaned against a nearby tree. "This shouldn't take but a minute," Tobias remarked. His next words caused both Inuyasha and Kagome to wince.

"And when we're done here, you can tell me all about that bitch and you two. I feel I was denied some need-to-know information here."

I'm not sure exactly what I can get away with and still keep a PG-13 rating. I try to do some research, looking up similar stories, but EVERY BLEEDING ONE is either an AU or Sess/Kag. WHAT MORBID FASCINATION DO PEOPLE HAVE WITH PAIRING UP SESSHOMARU AND KAGOME? Such stories violate my moral code and I refuse to read them. So I'm basically flying blind here. If I've gone too far, inform me, or perhaps the most esteemed FanFiction.Net folks will do it for me. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW you get the idea.


	17. Who Is THAT?

Hi all. This chapter is TINY, I'm sorry. But the explanation is at the bottom. In this chapter, you meet a mysterious new man who we know little about! Well, a little more, anyway...read on!

Chapter 17: Who Is THAT?

"So that's the story." Tobias took a drag off his cigarette. "A confusing one, rather. So, you were with the psycho bitch until she pinned you to a tree, but you killed her, but she came back anyway, and Kagome is her reincarnation, and...my head is spinning. At least now I know why you wouldn't let me kill her." He flicked his cigarette away.

Kagome stood up. She felt great, which was odd considering she had had a couple of broken ribs not ten minutes ago. She handed the sword back to Tobias, who thanked her quietly and sheathed it.

"You may believe you owe her your life, Inuyasha," Tobias said, staring into the distance. "But I owe her nothing. She shot me three times, and that's not something I'll forget anytime soon." Kagome spoke up.

"I think we should go on. There aren't that many shards left that Naraku doesn't have, and we need to find them before he does." Inuyasha sneered.

"I've been saying that for the last three years and you just now realize it?" He snorted. Inuyasha felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to see Tobias standing next to him.

"Believe me when I tell you, you should be careful around Kagome for the next few days," Tobias said quietly. "After what you did this morning, you would have stood by and let her die? I can guarantee, she's gonna be really upset over that. I wouldn't be surprised if she breaks off from you entirely. So if you want to keep her, you'd better watch it." Tobias walked away and beckoned to Kagome.

"Let's go already. The sooner we find all the shards, the sooner I can get back to my normal life."

Elsewhere...

Naraku paced up and down his room. Just who did this upstart think he was? With his power combined with Inuyasha's, he might have a problem. At this thought, he stopped. _No,_ he thought, _I have an advantage as well._ He turned and rang a gong.

The double doors opened, and another man walked in. He was dressed very oddly, with clothes that had definitely not come from this era. He wore gray armor, a breastplate with shoulder guards; slightly baggy white pants to his ankles; greaves (A/N: armored boots); and a blue shirt that extended to his elbows. He was very large and very muscular. At his side, a large sword hung in its sheath. He had blue hair and gray eyes.

"You rang, my liege?" he said in a calm voice. He had a pronounced British accent.

"Yes," growled Naraku. "I need you to tell me who that man is who has joined Inuyasha and his group."

"Tobias?" Something flickered in the new man's eyes. "He may seem powerful, but he is nothing compared to you, my liege. With my abilities added to your already formidable power, he and the other will be as nothing." He was cool as steel. "I have faced him before in battle, and let me be the first to inform you that he has fallen before to my sword." He lightly gripped the handle of the sword at his waist.

Naraku stopped pacing. The corners of his mouth turned up into a grin. "Excellent, ah...what did you say your name was?"

"My name is unimportant, my liege. You may simply address me as 'General'. Seeing as how I am your new second-in-command, I thought this title to be appropriate."

"Not so new anymore. You have been in my service for a month today." Naraku turned to face him. "Consider yourself lucky. The spot for my right-hand man is a coveted one among demons. You are the first human to achieve such a rank. Your power is the only reason you even came to be here."

"Indeed, my liege. On the subject of Tobias, rest assured I have forces tracking him as we speak. Coupled with the naturally occurring demons and our golems, I think we have little to fear from him."

Naraku's grin evaporated, to be replaced by a black look. "Our golems? It seems they are ineffective. One of them was already defeated by Inuyasha and his friend."

"As I have informed you...repeatedly before, my liege, it is impossible to create a creature that heals injuries inflicted by fire. Acid is another thing that cannot be-" He was cut off by an angry outburst from Naraku.

"Why is it that the only thing these golems cannot heal from is the one thing that this boy possesses?" he spat. "Rather convenient, isn't it? One might even think you were trying to aid him."

The man sunk to one knee in a gesture of supplication. "I am sorry, my liege, for my grievous oversight. I will increase my efforts." Naraku sneered at him before turning away to pace again. He abruptly stopped and headed for the door. At the door, Naraku turned back to face the man's back.

"I will see to it that you do." With that, Naraku swept out. The man remained on one knee, but his face held the barest traces of a glare.

"_My liege_, indeed...the weak idiot. I would have his head right now, were it not for him being able to separate the others from Tobias." His eyes glittered strangely. "I have not forgotten, boy. I will find you." He stood up and walked out of the room.

I'M SORRY!!!! Shortest chappie ever at 2 pages...THAT GOL-DANG WRITER'S BLOCK! Whenever I try to focus on what happens next, my mind goes all blank. It sucks. I will put up more, I promise. Oh, and Kai! You're back! *Hugs Kai* I was wondering where you were.

Gimme an R! _R! _

Gimme an E! _E!_

Gimme a V! _V!_

Gimme an I! _I!_

Gimme an E! _E!_

Gimme a W! _W!_

What's that spell?! _REVIEW!_


	18. Oh, That's Got To Hurt

Hi all. Gary here. It occurs to me that I haven't posted a disclaimer since the first chapter. One would think that this would be enough, but others (including various patent attorneys – joke!) do not share this belief, so here goes. I do not own Inuyasha, or anything even remotely related to him and his universe. There, I said it. Someone give me a cookie. 

I'm posting this chapter at 1:00 in the morning, on Eastern Time. I was lying in bed, thinking about what I'll write about next; and suddenly I sprang to the computer and this chapter just flowed right out. All over the keyboard. It took me an hour to clean everything up. (Okay, enough with the jokes already.) My writers block must have given me a temporary respite. So this opportunity could not be wasted. Now, on to the story.

Chapter 18: Oh, That's Got To Hurt

Oblivious to the exchange in the previous chapter, the group walked along the path. They had been walking for a good part of the day, in a stubborn silence. Kagome was in front, absolutely refusing to meet Inuyasha's or Tobias's eyes. Inuyasha hung near the back next to Tobias, trying to figure out how to repair the damage that the recent encounter with Kikyo had wrought. Tobias seemed troubled by it all.

After several unsuccessful attempts to get Kagome's attention, Inuyasha just about had it. He leaped over her head and grabbed her shoulders, glaring into her eyes.

"Kagome," he barked. "Tell me. What-" What he wanted was never known, as a result of Kagome's next few words.

"Sit, sit, SIT!"

Inuyasha crashed into the ground and jabbed himself on a protruding rock. He got a mouthful of dirt, and struggled to spit it out as he barely managed to lift his head.

"Kagome..." he spluttered. "I-"

"I don't want to hear it, Inuyasha! About how you're sorry, and it was a fluke, or whatever lies you're planning to tell me! All I know is that Kikyo almost killed me and you just stood by and watched! I thought you cared about me! But no~o, it's your precious Kikyo that matters! I don't ever want to see you again!" She stomped off. On her way into the wood, Tobias stepped into her path.

"Kagome," he began.

"Just shut up already, Tobias! Inuyasha has got me angry enough, and I don't need you to help! Always playing the goddamned peacemaker! Well, I'm sick of it! I need an hour to myself, so I can seriously think for once in my stupid LIFE!!!" Tobias looked absolutely scandalized as Kagome pushed past him and stormed away.

"Where are you going?" Inuyasha called weakly.

"_TO TAKE A **BATH**!!!!_"

Inuyasha got to his feet, while Tobias was looking in the direction that she had gone.

"Wow..." Tobias managed. "She is seriously pissed off."

"You think I don't know that? Fucking idiot," snarled Inuyasha. Tobias stepped over.

"I need to talk to you for a minute, Inuyasha."

At the lake, Kagome had eased out of her clothes and sank into the water. She let out a small moan as the cool water flowed over her parched skin. This...felt nice. She had been absolutely blazing hot all day walking in the sun, and a cold bath was just what she needed. As she absently toyed with some pebbles at the water's edge, her thoughts drifted to the events of that morning.

__

I cannot BELIEVE that Inuyasha let her do that. I thought he cared about me! Right before Tobias walked in on us...wasn't he going to say...he loved me? To Kagome's surprise, what welled up inside her was not anger, but sadness. _Didn't he...mean it? After all that we've done, he would just abandon me to Kikyo? I shouldn't be surprised,_ she thought sorrowfully. _He has probably always loved her...and just seen her in me...I wonder – what is THAT?_

A small snap of a dry twig breaking caught her attention. A figure cautiously emerged from the shrubbery around the lake.

"Hentai! SIT!" she bellowed. But there was no sound of a body slamming into the earth, no muttered growls and curses. What was going on? The figure walked out of the shadow, revealing itself to be Tobias.

"Tobias!" Kagome snapped. "Get out of here! I'm not wearing anything!" Tobias, quite expressionless, tossed her clothes in a bundle past her head to land on the shore.

"I told you, I don't want to talk to you right now!" she shouted. Tobias shook his head slightly.

"It's important," he said simply. Kagome growled to herself.

"Don't you dare look...or I'll give you a beating you'll never forget," she warned as she crawled behind a bush with her clothes and towel. After hurriedly drying and dressing herself, she came out from behind the bush to glare at Tobias.

"Well?" Kagome demanded. "What is it? Do you have any reason at all to be interrupting my bath? Or are you-" Tobias made a motion to silence her, walking slowly around the edge of the water until he was fairly close.

"It's about Inuyasha," he said quietly. Kagome's eyes blazed.

"Don't talk to me about him!" she roared. Tobias flinched a little, but did not back down.

"I told you it was important. Will you at least trust me enough to hear what I have to say?" Grudgingly, Kagome nodded. "Good. Then let me begin.

"I think you're being too hard on Inuyasha." He had only made it this far before Kagome cut in like a bandsaw.

"Too _hard_ on him? He would have let me die right there! If it wasn't for you, I don't know-" Tobias interrupted her interruption.

"Kagome, I know this is hard, but let me speak for a minute. Without interrupting. After I'm done, you can talk all you want," he hastened to add, seeing Kagome's expression. "I really think you are too hard on him. Going off on him like that is bad for both of you.

"Based on what I heard from you and him earlier today, I can guess what's going to happen. He's going to get all mopey and depressed, and he's going to skulk around a lot and become all moody and snappish. This, of course, will cause you to react accordingly, and your relationship goes into a death spiral. You see what I mean?" Kagome nodded, a fraction.

"You think I'm ignorant of what you two are sharing? Since the day we met, you can't keep your hands off of each other. I think this is more than simple lust, here. I think you two actually have something." Kagome lowered her eyes. She was getting upset again.

"I thought so too," she murmured. "But we don't. He only loves Kikyo."

"You see what I mean?" Tobias said angrily. "You keep on saying that, it's going to be true. You're pushing him away for a few mistakes he made. Now, I'm not saying what he did was right. He was being a complete jackass; both in not helping you and holding me back." Tobias's expression became angry for a second, then it softened. "But what I am saying is that you should...try to forgive him."

"What are you getting at?" Kagome asked, a little suspiciously.

"My point is, you two have something I haven't seen, since...well, ever." His voice dropped to a whisper. "And for me, that's saying something," he murmured.

"What?"

"Never mind. You two have planted the seeds of a beautiful relationship...why let one run-in with a dead ex-girlfriend ruin everything? I mean, telling him you never wanted to see him again? That was harsh, Kagome. That was really harsh."

Much as Kagome hated to admit it to herself, Tobias's words had struck home. She had been unnecessarily hard on Inuyasha. She hadn't really meant what she said, she was just mad. Didn't he realize that?

"I wasn't serious when I said that," Kagome said, voicing her worries. "Doesn't he know that?" Tobias's face fell.

"That's the problem," he muttered. "That's the problem."

"What's the problem? Tobias..." She came a little closer. "What happened?"

Tobias looked up and fixed her with a wavering gaze. "He left, as soon as you did. He said you didn't care about him anymore, and he was going to the only person who at least accepted him." Kagome gasped in shock.

"Does that mean..."

"I think so." Tobias's eyes dropped; he couldn't look at her. "He's gone to Kikyo."

Part of Kagome wanted to shout, 'Fine! Let him leave!' and stomp around a lot. Part of her wanted to just let go, and accept that he chose Kikyo.

The other part did not.

Tears welled up in Kagome's eyes. She couldn't let him go. She _did_ care about him! And she had to prove it to him before it was too late! "Which way did he go?" she asked, in a shaky voice. Tobias pointed sorrowfully. She bolted in that direction.

Tobias stood alone, near the lake. He lifted his eyes. A grin of satisfaction was evident on his face.

"Tobias, old boy," he crooned to himself, "you're a cool man, you are." He ambled towards where Kagome was headed.

Kagome rushed through the woods. _Oh gods, please don't let me be too late, please please..._ She caught sight of a figure walking slowly ahead. His fire-red kimono gave him away. _Inuyasha! He hasn't found her yet!_ Her heart leapt as she raced towards him.

Inuyasha heard footsteps coming his way from behind. He turned around just in time for Kagome to jump at him and crush him in a bone-cracking hug. She held him tightly as she sobbed into his shoulder.

"Ka-Kagome?" he asked, shocked. Not knowing what to do to calm her down, he hugged her back awkwardly.

"Don't go, Inuyasha," Kagome wailed. "Don't leave me. I didn't mean what I said, I'm sorry, I was angry, I, I, _don't leave me,_ _Inuyasha_." She cried and cried as she clung to him; as if she was afraid that if she let go, he would vanish.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha repeated. "What – I – what is – "

"Don't go to Kikyo, Inuyasha," she sobbed. "I didn't mean those things I said. Don't let her take you to hell. I do care about you, Inuyasha." And what she said next, Inuyasha would never forget.

"I love you."

It was as if everything had vanished except for him and the miko crying into his kimono. Inuyasha's entire mouth went dry as his brain struggled to wrap itself around this new concept. What had wrought this change in her? Half an hour ago, she was shouting that she never wanted to see him again. Now, she was sobbing into his embrace and proclaiming her love for him. Right now, he didn't care. Inuyasha pulled her off of him, to hold her at arms length. He looked her right in her eyes, red and puffy from crying.

"I love you too, Kagome." He raised her up a little and kissed her.

He could taste the salty residue of her tears on her lips. She wasn't crying anymore; now she was putting all of her desperation and sadness into the kiss and the embrace. Her eyes closed and her body began to go slack as she melted like butter under his loving embrace.

But this was not a kiss of passion, not one to be taken to the next level as they had this morning. This was a clear, "Make me believe that you love me" kiss. And it had succeeded with flying colors. They had to break apart for air, and Kagome softly panted for breath under the combined exertion of her recent mad dash and the bruising kiss.

"Kagome," Inuyasha murmured. His hands traced gentle patterns on her back, making her shiver involuntarily. "Love...now can you tell me what that was all about?"

Kagome's head snapped up. "What it was all about?" She could hardly believe her ears.

"No! No, not that. I truly believe that I love you, and I am so glad you love me too. I understand that. What I don't understand is why you were crying and running like that."

She sniffled a little. "Tobias told me you were going to Kikyo. He said that you said that I didn't care about you anymore, and I couldn't lose you." Her eyes brimmed again. Inuyasha tightened his hold on her to reassure her that he was most definitely not going anywhere.

"What?" He was stunned by this. "Tobias told _me_ to leave until you had calmed down. I was just going to the nearby village." Kagome's eyes brightened; but almost simultaneously Inuyasha and Kagome both turned red with anger.

"**_TOBIAS!!!!!_**" Inuyasha hoisted Kagome onto his back and they sped off towards the unsuspecting man.

Tobias was walking leisurely through the forest, stopping to admire the trees and the wildlife. He looked up from a particularly interesting flower to see Inuyasha and Kagome advancing on him, Kagome brandishing her heavy iron pot.

"So," Tobias said cheerfully, "did you two kiss and make up?"

***BLAM***

***POW***

***WHACK***

***THUD***

***OOF***

***SPLONG***

"Splong?"

"Splong?!"

"Ow..."

"Oh well." "Oh well."

***BAM***

***CRUNCH***

"Inuyasha, that's enough."

***THUNK***

"Sit!"

Thud.

"I said that's enough!"

"Grr. Fine. Let's set up camp..._alone_." Inuyasha and Kagome walked off, holding hands. 

A very heavily beaten up Tobias rose to a painful sitting position. _Well,_ he thought grimly, _at least they're mad at me together._

Hey all. This chapter is almost THREE TIMES the length of the previous one. Aren't I nice. So review, already. And Lasako, it's great to see that you're back. Did my advice help any? Review some more, just to be sure.


	19. Chapter 19

Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Holidays, friends over, my sister's birthday, these things tend to add up.

To Jou-chan: Sorry, I don't give out personal information on the Internet. It seems trivial, but if I say anything, _they_ will find me. And...you know what _they_ do.

(Note to conspiracy theorists and overly sensitive people: This is a joke. But I still refuse to tell anyone my personal info.)

To the story!

Chapter 19: A Whole Lotta Things Happen In This Here Chapter...Again!

Naraku and the General walked through the forest. Naraku led, while the General maintained a subservient stride a few steps behind.

"May I ask where we are going, my liege?" the General said.

Naraku came to a dead stop and slowly turned to face him. "Are you deaf?" he hissed. "Did I not explain to you about how we must find the shards of the Shikon no Tama?"

"Yes, indeed you did, my liege. I was simply not aware that this excursion was for that purpose." (A/N: This guy is so calm, cool, and collected; he makes Sesshomaru look like a screaming lunatic.)

Naraku looked sideways at him. "So calm," he muttered. "How can you be so calm at all times? I have tried all manner of things. I have threatened you with death, with torture, with being cast out. I have offered you power, money, women. And yet you always remain very calm. Why? More importantly, how?"

The General took his time to answer. "I have learned control over my emotions. Emotions are useless, my liege. They only lead to one's downfall. I prefer to let my words and actions speak for who I am, rather than some ill-recognized outburst of anger or fear. Perhaps some time, I may show you how to attune yourself to have the same level of control that I have." Under his breath, he whispered, "Although I doubt it."

Naraku stiffened. "What did you just say?"

"I was merely taking a breath, my liege." Naraku gave him the evil eye.

"It had better have been that." They resumed walking.

"How do you presume to find these elusive shards, my liege? Surely with the amount that you and the miko have, there can be no more left in the wild."

"There may not be...at random," said Naraku. "But I have information of a certain wolf demon who has three shards in his body. We shall find him and take these shards. Then Inuyasha and the others will be forced to come to me to complete the jewel."

"And we shall be there waiting for them. An excellent plan, my liege." The General was silent for a few minutes. "But the same question presents itself. How will we find this wolf demon? It seems unlikely that we shall simply run across him in this vast forest."

"I know where his den is," snarled Naraku. "And I shall find him there."

"Indeed, my liege. But what if he is not? How would you locate him if he, say, is out hunting at the moment?" Naraku did not answer. The General lapsed into silence once more.

They had been walking for about half an hour when an earthshaking roar came from in front of them. Naraku flinched, but the General was as impassive as ever.

"Ignore it, my liege," he intoned. "It is merely one of our golems on the hunt." He was soon proven wrong on at least one count. The golem crashed in front of them, fists shaking with rage. Naraku stopped dead at the sight of it. Its beady black eyes were glittering with fury.

"What is wrong with this one?" he hissed. Before the General could respond, the beast spoke.

"**thy control over me has lapsed. thou no longer hast dominion over mine will. i shall pay thee in spades for what thou hast done to mine kin.**"

"What is going ON?" growled Naraku. "I thought these things were totally under control!"

The General did not seem to be perturbed. "Unfortunately, my liege, it seems this one has been given a little too much free will. It broke our control over it and seems to be going for us." He had barely finished his sentence when the golem smashed a fist down where Naraku had been standing. Naraku leaped clear and hung from a tree branch.

"Would you like me to destroy it, or shall you?" called the General. Naraku gave him the blackest of black looks.

"You do it!" he roared. "This is your monster, you get rid of it!" The General gave a slight nod, then drew his sword. He leaped up high in the air, level with the golem's face. The golem seemed about to swat him like an insect, when the General buried his sword deep into its head. It howled with rage and pain, but did not get much of a chance to do anything.

A tendril of ice crept outward from the point where the General's sword was embedded in the golem's flesh. It soon developed into a spiderweb of ice crystals, spreading and freezing everything, until the golem was like a statue of ice. The General hung in the air, grasping his sword, apparently using it for support. Quite expressionless, he yanked his sword from the ice. It shattered into thousands of pieces.

The General landed lightly. The pieces of the titan swirled, raged, like a mighty blizzard. They coalesced into a semisolid beam and flowed into the General's sword. There, they were absorbed and vanished. The beast was no more. The General sheathed his sword.

Naraku dropped to the ground in utter incredulity. "I thought...I thought these things could regenerate from everything!"

"Nearly everything, my liege." The General showed no outward sign of the feat he had just performed. "But being shattered into a thousand pieces and absorbed into my sword would tend to negate most regenerative abilities." He beckoned slightly. "Do you wish to continue?"

Naraku hurriedly collected his composure. "Yes...let us go." They walked away.

At the camp, Kagome was setting up dinner while Inuyasha gathered firewood. Tobias stumbled into camp, bleeding profusely. He gazed blearily at his two companions.

"Why do I hang around you two again?" he groused. He took a seat next to Kagome. He did not notice, however, the iron pot concealed behind her back.

***WHANG!***

"What was that for?" Tobias groaned from on his back.

"That was for peeking on me when I wasn't wearing anything!" snapped Kagome. Inuyasha dropped his load of firewood.

"You. Did. WHAT?!" Tobias took one look at Inuyasha and scampered away into the woods, Inuyasha yelling and shouting curses as he chased him.

A minute or so later, a large ***BONK*** was heard to echo through the woods. In a little bit, Inuyasha came striding back to the camp with a confident grin. Tobias came tottering back to the camp with a busted lip.

Tobias sat down heavily. He reached one hand slowly inside one of his pockets; and after checking to see that Kagome wasn't watching, he pulled out a flask. He uncorked it, took a sip, coughed and spluttered, replaced the cork, and pocketed it just as Kagome turned around.

"Tobias? Are you okay? He didn't hurt you that badly, did he?" Tobias looked a bit flushed.

"It's all right, Kagome," he said. "I must have gotten a bug in my throat or something." Inuyasha glanced at Kagome and walked over, sitting next to Tobias.

"I saw you drink that. What is that stuff?" Inuyasha asked. Tobias grinned.

"And after you and her pummeled me, I should share this with you?" Inuyasha looked at him piteously. "Oh, all right. Don't give me that puppy dog face."

"What are you talking about?"

"You know, when you look all pitiful like a dog that just lost its bone. We're still friends. I wouldn't let something like that get between us." Inuyasha nodded. "Oh, and Inuyasha?"

***POW!***

"I feel much better now," remarked Tobias as Inuyasha got up off the floor, holding his hand over his eye. "But now I can show you this." He made a quick check and saw Kagome was busy setting up camp. Tobias pulled out his flask.

"It's almost pure alcohol. One sip will put the color back into your cheeks. It sure revitalized me, just now. Wanna try some?" Inuyasha shrugged and took the bottle. He was about to drink it when Tobias grabbed his arm.

"I'm not kidding. Just take a sip. This stuff is _powerful_." Inuyasha brushed him off. He took a draft.

A powerful burning sensation filled his mouth and nose as he swallowed. Inuyasha dropped the flask (which Tobias just barely caught) and coughed up a storm. Kagome looked up from the fire she was attempting to start, worried.

"Inuyasha! Are you okay? What happened?" she said anxiously.

"Nothing..." he choked. "I'm okay." Inuyasha took some deep breaths and recovered. Tobias was looking at him with an expression that clearly said _I told you so_.

"I told you to take only a sip. But did you listen?" He corked the flask and stowed it in his pocket. "So, now that we're all feeling better, how about some training?" Inuyasha nodded. He had to admit, that stuff _did_ make him feel better.

"Hey, Kagome," called Tobias. "We're going to go spar in the clearing. We'll be back in a few."

"Okay," Kagome responded. "But could you help me light this stupid fire first?"

(A/N: In case you're wondering how Tobias is now fine after that ferocious beating, A: that drink revived him, and B: it's just cartoon violence! It goes away in the next scene. Does Miroku ever keep any of his Sango-inflicted injuries for more than a few seconds?)

Kagome had left the now slightly dented pot over the fire to boil. _While it heats up, I'll go see how the two guys are doing._ She walked over to the clearing, where she saw the two of them battling.

Inuyasha was using his traditional approach, kill everything that moves; but Tobias clearly had some ancient fighting style memorized. He seemed to be focusing more on evasion than attack. Inuyasha swiped at him, Tobias performed a backflip and passed right over Tetsusaiga. He landed on his hands and did a handspring, sailing over Inuyasha's head and landing behind him. Inuyasha whirled to face him just in time to cancel a ferocious thrust from Tobias's sword.

Inuyasha attacked with all his might. Tobias leaped away and landed on a high tree branch. He jumped off the branch, sword extended and spinning through the air as he fell. The two of them locked swords and struggled for an advantage.

"Inuyasha, you need style," hissed Tobias, trying to overcome Inuyasha's strength. "Just waltzing in and breaking heads isn't enough."

***SCHINGG!***

***WHAM!***

Tobias lay flat on his back, with Tetsusaiga pressed against his throat.

"Of course," he croaked, "there are advantages to the head-breaking style." Inuyasha released him, and both of them got to their feet. They both seemed to notice Kagome at the same time.

"Hi."

"Hey, Kagome."

"Hi, guys. The water's boiling now, and the ramen will be ready anytime now." Tobias grimaced.

"Ramen AGAIN?! Are you sure you don't have anything else with you?" Kagome shook her head. "Shoot. Well, I have some freeze-dried stuff I was saving...but..." Tobias put away his sword. Inuyasha did the same.

"By the way," Kagome continued, "you two were really good." She blushed a little.

"Thanks." Tobias strode past her to the camp. Inuyasha followed him, but stopped by Kagome.

"Thanks...love." He gave her a quick kiss, then they headed back to camp.

But there was no dinner when they got back to camp. There was instead, a very angry wolf demon, who was apparently searching for them.

"Koga!" shouted Inuyasha. He drew Tetsusaiga. Koga struck a fighting pose.

"So..." he hissed. "The dog-boy is back. I was wondering where you were..." His eyes flicked to Tobias, who was surprised at this new arrival. "Who's that?"

"I'm Tobias, and I'm traveling with them. What's it to you?" Tobias's tone was calm, but he put his hand on his sword hilt. But Koga had already lost interest in him.

"She's MY woman! She's coming with me!"

"Shut up! She is not your woman!"

"Get out of the way, dog-face!" Koga punched Inuyasha and rushed to Kagome. He never got there. Inuyasha caught him in a flying tackle.

"You bastard, you're dead meat!" Inuyasha bellowed. The two of them began fighting viciously. Koga was evading Inuyasha's attacks and sending a few retaliatory swipes Inuyasha's way. Inuyasha smirked and raised Tetsusaiga high.

"_Kaze no_-" He was abruptly cut off by Koga, who slammed into him with a flying kick and knocked Tetsusaiga away. Inuyasha roared into battle, sending attacks with his claws and fangs with a primal ferocity to match Koga's.

Through all this, Tobias and Kagome were severely sweatdropping as they watched.

"Why are they..." Tobias gestured towards the two fighting demons.

"They do that every time they meet. Like I said before, Koga thinks I'm his woman and keeps trying to kidnap me and take me to his den." Kagome was glaring daggers at both of the demons. Neither noticed. "You want to stop this?"

"How?"

"Well, I can subdue Inuyasha with my –it spell." Tobias smiled. "But you'll have to take care of Koga. Just hold him or something so he stops fighting."

"All right. On three, then. One...two..." Tobias tensed up.

"THREE!"

"SIT!"

Thud.

"BITCH!"

"GET OFF ME!"

The end result of all this was that Inuyasha was magically pinned to the ground and Tobias had Koga pinioned. Koga raged and struggled against Tobias's grip, but Tobias strained a little and grinned.

"Would you two cut it out for once?" Kagome demanded as she walked between them. "I mean, all you ever do is fight!"

"Yeah..." Koga strained against Tobias's hold. "That's because he's too stupid to admit that you're my woman."

"I am NOT your woman! What makes you keep saying that?"

"Shut up already!" shouted Tobias. He used one hand to punch Koga. Koga, taking advantage of the momentary loosening of his captor's hold, broke free. He slashed Tobias's face and arms several times before whirling to face Inuyasha. Inuyasha, coincidentally, had just been freed of the spell and leaped up to fight Koga again.

Tobias was bleeding from his claw marks; but he was recovering, and fast. "So that's the way it's gonna be, is it?" he shouted. "I'll show you!" He leaped into the fray, lashing out at all sides.

What followed next was not a simple fight. There was too little organization to allow for such things as claws or fangs or swords. It was simply a brawl. Fists and feet flew everywhere. Tobias, having armor, had a bit of an advantage; but Koga had speed, and Inuyasha had power, and they were all viciously attacking one another.

Kagome was most put out. "Stop it!" she yelled. "Cut it out! Stop fighting!" In frustration, she flung her arms out in front of her.

"_STOP!!_"

And they did. Tobias, Inuyasha, and Koga were all unmoving, apparently frozen where they stood. They all had a faint white aura which was streaming from a glowing ball of energy in Kagome's hands.

"What the hell happened?" demanded Koga, frozen in mid-punch. None of them could move a muscle.

"I can't move," growled Tobias. "Can anyone else?"

"If-I-could-I-would-be-doing-it-right-now-don't-you-think???" said Inuyasha in a voice strangled with rage.

Kagome was shocked. _Am...am I doing this?_

"Well, Kagome, I guess your miko powers are finally blooming..." Tobias halfheartedly tried to break the grip Kagome had on him. He failed. "So now that we know that...how's about letting go of us?" Kagome blinked, then withdrew her hands. All three of them collapsed to the floor.

Koga was the first to rise, but Tobias and Inuyasha were not far behind. They both leaped in front of Koga, blocking his path to Kagome.

"I won't forget what you've done," said Tobias quietly. He was still bleeding.

"Get out," snarled Inuyasha. Koga took one faltering step forward, then broke and ran, shouting curses and insults as he went. Inuyasha retrieved Tetsusaiga.

"Well, there goes another enemy," remarked Tobias. He sat down. "I certainly seem to be making a lot of them around here. But, I've always had a lot of enemies, so I'm not surprised. Is dinner ready yet?"

Rather long chapter. I don't have much left to say here...except...what do you think will happen when the General and Tobias finally meet? Dun dun dun!!

Inuyasha: You don't have to say 'Dun dun dun', it's implied.

I know, but it sounds so right somehow. REVIEW!


	20. There's A Familiar Face

Hi again! Sorry for the wait...over a WEEK! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!!! *sobs* I'LL NEVER DO IT AGAIN! I SWEAR! Ahem. Never mind. Just read the blinkin' story.

Chapter 20: There's A Familiar Face

"So like I was saying," said Tobias through a spoonful of noodles (he had finally given in and started eating ramen), "if that guy had jewel shards, then why didn't you just kill him and take them? He seemed quite keen on killing us..."

"Feh. I would've a long time ago if it wasn't for Kagome. She likes him or something."

"Inuyasha! He's my friend. And I don't know what would happen if we tried to take his shards...it might kill him."

"So...he tries to kill Inuyasha and tries to kidnap you, and he's your friend? You have weird tastes in friends."

"That's nothing," Inuyasha cut in. "You should see her friends in her time. A bunch of giggling girls and this jerk named Hobo who's almost as bad as Koga."

Tobias looked shocked. "He tries to kill you?"

"His name is Hojo. And no, he just thinks he's my boyfriend. He's one of those handsome guys that all the girls throw themselves at, so he doesn't get it that I'm not interested." Kagome put away her bowl. "I'm done."

"Me too."

"Same here."

"Then, we should pack up for the night." Kagome started unrolling her sleeping bag. Tobias looked at her, incredulous.

"You go to sleep when the sun sets, and wake up when the sun rises. I am definitely not used to that. But, there's not much more to do, so..." He sat down and leaned up against a tree. "Good night, then." He closed his eyes.

They finished packing up, Kagome got changed, and everyone settled in. Tobias seemed to have fallen asleep almost immediately. Kagome got into her sleeping bag and Inuyasha assumed his regular position in a tree.

A few hours later, it was pitch black. Nobody was alert except for Inuyasha, who had lain in wait for darkness. Kagome groggily got up, and went to use the bathroom. _This is it!_ Inuyasha thought excitedly. A few minutes later, she came back. Inuyasha leaped out of the tree, landing as softly as was demonically possible; and crept up behind Kagome silently. He grabbed her around the waist with one arm and around her collarbone with the other. Kagome shrieked in surprise, but Inuyasha only softly snickered.

"Inuyasha! Don't scare me like that! I-" Her voice failed her as she turned around and saw Inuyasha. There was a predatory gleam in his eyes, as well as lust. Kagome was a little apprehensive.

"I pounced you," he whispered. He began to caress her stomach lightly. He moved his head over her shoulder, and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"In-Inuyasha?" Kagome whispered. She had not expected this...but now that she thought about it, she rather liked it. She took a tiny step back and pressed her back into his chest. Inuyasha gave a low, rumbling purr. His hand slipped among the folds of fabric that she was wearing to rest on the bare flesh of her stomach.

Kagome eeped in surprise at this unexpected touch, but that soon turned into a soft sigh as she delighted in his simple caresses. She brought one of her hands over her shoulder to tickle his sensitive ears. He purred again. He really did love having his ears rubbed, especially by Kagome.

She broke away from him suddenly. Inuyasha started to growl, but was cut off by Kagome's lips on his. Her arms flew around his back and she pressed her body against his. _She gets bolder every time...gods, I love her._

_Damned insomnia._ Tobias twitched restlessly against his tree. _I can never get any – hello..._ One eye flickered open to see Kagome and Inuyasha's *ahem* late-night activities. _Those two...at it again...maybe I was wrong. Maybe he isn't...well, if I stay here, eventually they'll notice that I'm not asleep. But if I leave, they'll notice that too._

**_Idiot,_** a second voice chimed in. **_Do you really think they'll give you the slightest bit of their attention? You could run past them naked and they wouldn't even see you._**

_Point._ Tobias slowly got up, tiptoed a safe distance; then he sped off.

As Tobias had predicted, neither of them noticed or cared. Inuyasha was laying on top of Kagome again. Inuyasha sucked on her tongue greedily, before slipping his into her sweet mouth. Kagome smiled against his lips. A new idea had just occurred to her, and based on his past responses, she was sure he would like it. She pulled her tongue from his mouth; ignoring his whine of protest. Before he knew what was happening, she flipped him over so that she was on top. Inuyasha's eyes widened with shock. What was she doing? As long as it did not involve leaving this rather...comfy position, he had no problems with it.

She made her way up to where his ears were, gently vibrating with pleasure. Kagome caught one between her fingers and stroked it gently. Inuyasha purred, but this turned into a moan when she blew a hot breath into his ear before her tongue gently ran over the edge.

His grip tightened by pure reflex, and his eyes closed in pleasure. He had to hand it to Kagome...she was certainly inventive. As Kagome kissed and licked his fuzzy ears, it was all he could do not to just pin her down and...well, you know. His animal instincts were rising, but his human side was just telling them to shut up and enjoy this. Unfortunately (or more accurately, fortunately) for Inuyasha, Kagome had yet another idea.

_I wonder..._ Kagome, while still nibbling at his ear, glided her hand slowly down his torso. She smoothed her hand over his stomach. _Do dog demons like this as much as dogs do?_ Evidently, yes; as Inuyasha shuddered and began purring again. _He he he. Inuyasha is purring like a puppy._ It was all too much for Inuyasha. He abruptly broke her hold on him and flipped her again, so that he was once again on top.

"That's a nice trick, Kagome," he growled in a very deep and sexy voice, "but I have my share, too." While Kagome shivered at his arousing words, his hand crept down her stomach and paused at her waist. He flicked the edge of her pajama bottoms, before starting to edge one of his fingers inside...

"Inuyasha!" gasped Kagome. "Inuyasha...don't...not yet...I'm..." She struggled for words as Inuyasha's face fell. "I'm not ready yet...and if we keep doing this, I..."

"I understand." Inuyasha kissed her again. "But all the same..." He took a deep breath, inhaling her flowery scent. It soothed him. "Did you notice we made it all this way without Tobias interrupting us?"

She giggled. "That's a definite first." Kagome wrapped herself around him and snuggled up. "Good night, Inuyasha."

"Good night, love." Inuyasha kissed her one last time before they both settled into sleep.

Elsewhere...

The General paced up and down his room. He had the perfect plan, now all that was needed was for Naraku to implement it. But how would he present it to Naraku? In all his vanity, Naraku would likely reject any plan that was not his. His train of thought derailed as Naraku walked quietly into his room.

"Still awake, at this time of night? Do you not need sleep?"

"Insomnia, my liege. I can never get any sleep. I have learned to cope with it." He turned to face Naraku. "I have...a plan, my liege. One to destroy Tobias and possibly that dog demon as well."

"You seem more focused on eliminating the boy than finding the shards of the jewel," Naraku hissed. "One would think you had..._personal_ issues with him."

"Nay, my liege. I merely suggest that eliminating him would be the first step towards victory. The less warriors advancing on our position, the better." Evidently, Naraku had been hoping to get a rise out of him, but the General was as impassive as ever.

"Very well." Naraku sat down in the only chair. "What is this plan?"

"A matter of simple biology, my liege. I daresay that sending wave after wave of demons to assault Tobias and his companions is futile, given their considerable combined strength. We have seen the results of that repeatedly." The General paused to let his words sink in. "But if my plan succeeds, not only would every demon for a hundred miles be going for the girl, but Inuyasha will as well. Tobias will have to defend her against everything, and will likely be destroyed in the process."

Naraku's face contorted with rage. "Are you deaf or just insane?!" he howled. "I cannot have Kagome die! She is the only one who can reform the shards of the jewel!!"

"Please, relax, my liege. Perhaps I have explained improperly. It would work in such a way that..." The General outlined the details of his plan to Naraku. At the end, Naraku's eyes were wide. He was clearly impressed.

"Brilliant," he breathed. "I never...how did...how did you _think_ of such a plan?"

"I _must_ think of a plan, my liege. That is why I am your general."

"Excellent. When shall it take place?"

"Unfortunately, my liege, there are two things holding it back. One is that I lack the ability to bring this plan to fruition, and as such, I require a spellcaster who can perform such a feat."

"That is not difficult," said Naraku. "I am sure that one could be found or otherwise coerced."

"The other is a matter of unfortunate timing. Given the girl's responses, I would say the plan will not go into action until slightly less than a month has passed."

"A MONTH??!!" screamed Naraku. "They could defeat every demon in the country by then! How are we to-"

"I beg of you, my liege, be silent," said the General. "It would be a simple matter to delay their progress by a month. You already possess shards of the jewel...as long as they cannot locate you, they will be unable to reform it for as long as you desire."

"Very well." Naraku seemed to regain his composure. "A month it is. But when it comes into effect..." He chuckled. "Carry on, then."

"Indeed." Naraku swept out of the room.

The next morning, Inuyasha woke up to the delicious feel of warmth around him. He blinked twice, trying to clear the sleep from his head and remember, then it all came flooding back to him. Kagome. _Hmm...I could get used to waking up like this..._ She mumbled something in her sleep and hugged him tighter to her. He moved his head down and nuzzled into her neck, planting kisses where her neck and shoulder joined. Kagome mumbled again and moaned a little at the feel of Inuyasha's mouth on her bare skin. Her breathing changed from a deep slumber to a slow pant. Her eyes opened.

"Good morning, love," whispered Inuyasha. She smiled and kissed him.

"Good morning, Inuyasha. I love you."

"I love you too." She disentangled herself from him and sat up a little. "Where's Tobias?"

"Yeah...where is he?" Inuyasha got to his feet. His scent was scattered to the winds; he had been gone since last night. Inuyasha's ears pricked up at the sound of metal on metal. "He's in another fight. Let's go," he muttered. He picked up Kagome and dashed off. When he arrived, Tobias was in furious battle with another sword-wielder. They were moving too fast for even Inuyasha to see who the opponent was. An almighty crash of sword to sword, the two flew apart and landed nimbly on their feet. Kagome was looking at Tobias, but Inuyasha only had eyes for his opponent.

It was Tybalt.

Ah-HA! What the hell is HE doing there? How did he get there? Who sent him? These questions and more answered in...okay, I lie. They aren't answered until near the end. Tough nuggets. Sorry about the short chapter and again about the huge wait, my life has just been royally screwed up and it doesn't show any signs of settling down anytime soon. [Edit: This was written _before_ the police arrived.] REVIEW!

Oh yeah, one last thing. My friend Jamie wrote a poem and posted it to FictionPress.com. As of now, he hasn't gotten any reviews. This is a bad thing. It's called "The soothing of a Savage Soul" under Poetry and Life, Fantasy/Supernatural and rated PG. You'll never understand it in a million years, but it's an inspirational and great poem. (He told me to say that.) Review it, and take it seriously please.


	21. The Gang's All Here

Hi again. Sorry about the other long wait for the chapter. FF.net is being an ass again; I couldn't even get on the website for DAYS. Ever since I posted the last chapter, I've been getting '404: Not Found' messages whenever I tried to go on. I WOULD have posted it the next day, but...sigh. Here's the chapter.

Chapter 21: The Gang's All Here

"I have a question," Tobias snarled. The two exchanged some frenzied blows and broke apart again.

"Really," panted Tybalt. "So do I." He leaped high and brought both swords down with such force that the earth shattered beneath Tobias's feet. "You first."

"All right," said Tobias. "How did you get here?" He disappeared into the trees. Tybalt whirled just in time to block an awesome strike from Tobias. Tybalt ran straight up a tree; Tobias sliced the trunk in two with his blade. It crashed with a roar and Tybalt came barreling out. They locked swords.

"An old friend. All I can tell you, now. My question..." He was forced to cut short his brief interrogation as Tobias charged him with all his might and slammed him into the ground. Tybalt slid between Tobias's legs, rolled to his stomach, and propelled himself upward with all fours just as Tobias plunged his sword into the ground.

"Burial or cremation?" Tobias did not press the attack this time; on the contrary, he looked quite amused.

"Cremation. As I have lived, so I will perish. It's an excellent idea." His sword began to glow red, like it had just been pulled from a blast furnace. Tobias's eyes glittered strangely. "You should try it sometime."

Tobias whirled his sword around like he was winding up to hit a baseball. He swung, and a blazing ball of fire whooshed from the tip of the sword. Tybalt bent over fully backwards as the blazing sphere missed him. It hit a nearby tree and exploded into flames. Tybalt stood back up slowly.

"That's a nice trick," he whispered. Tobias extended his sword and spun; launching more and more fireballs; until he was nearly a blur. Tybalt dodged, ducked, weaved, bobbed, evaded, and avoided until the flames blocked him from sight. At last, the forest was in flames around them, and Tybalt was nowhere to be seen.

Tobias halted and looked around. "Where did he go?"

Tybalt dashed out of the inferno, deflected Tobias's lunge with a simple parry, and jammed a oblong, black, metal thing into Tobias's open mouth. He then beat a hasty retreat. Tobias coughed once and pulled the device out of his mouth. Inuyasha cautiously moved in, to inspect it. Tobias held it up in front of his face for a closer look.

"What the hell?" he demanded.

**__**

BOOM!!!

The device exploded in his hand. The sheer force of the blast created a minor shockwave, which knocked Inuyasha off his feet and cracked the ground around it. Tobias was flung backwards and smashed into a tree. He got up a second later, turning away so his face was hidden from view.

"A grenade," he croaked in a voice quite unlike his own. It sounded thick, twisted, like he was having difficulty speaking. "Fortunately, the fire did nothing to me. I'm immune to fire while in that state...something he doesn't know, apparently. However..." He turned around. "The bastard put shrapnel in that thing."

Kagome shrieked, and Inuyasha gasped. Tobias's face had been sliced to bits by the flying shards of metal. Some wounds were just little nicks, some had cut all the way to the bone. One of his eyes was jammed shut; there was a reddish-clear liquid coming from it. His nose was an unrecognizable mess. Blood came from his mouth.

"This is nothing," he groaned. "I've been hurt worse before. I just need some time to heal." He spat a mouthful of blood to one side and trudged off in the direction of the lake. "And to wash up," he added. Inuyasha stared at Kagome.

"Jeez...he takes a grenade to the head and just shakes it off. He must be able to stand a lot of pain," Kagome said uneasily. "Do you think he'll be okay?"

"Feh. He'll be fine. What I'm wondering, though, how did that guy get from your time to here? Did he use the well? Did he even know about it? I don't get it."

"I don't know either, Inuyasha. I just don't know." Kagome stood up. "I'm going to-"

"Ah, little brother. How deliciously unpleasant to see you alive, still." Sesshomaru leapt down from a tree to stand in front of Inuyasha. "It amazes me how such a weakling can survive in these harsh woods as long as you have. Especially when burdened by human company..." His eyes lingered on Kagome. "Sadly, I come not to bring news...but to bring death." He extended his energy whip.

"GODDAMMIT!" roared Inuyasha. "First Tybalt, now YOU? Kami...this just keeps getting better and better." He would have continued had Sesshomaru not pressed the attack, sending a long trail of energy whipping around at him. Inuyasha leaped up and swung his sword furiously; the battle had begun.

Kagome watched, frightened. _If Tobias were here, they could beat him...why is everyone coming here now?_

At the lake, Tobias's wounds were already closing. _Hm. Good thing I heal faster when I'm enraged, or I'd be at this all day. As is, I'll be fine in a few minutes...not like the damage was that bad to begin with._ He dug a tiny, jagged piece of metal out of his cheek; and another out of his eye. _Dammit, this hurts._ He splashed some cold water over his face, rinsing away the blood and reviving him.

Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were battling with the ferocity of...well, the ferocity of some seriously pissed-off dog demons. Kagome had hidden behind a stout tree. Sesshomaru had lashed Inuyasha several times, but Inuyasha had inflicted some damage as well. As Inuyasha dodged one of Sesshomaru's vicious attacks, Sesshomaru's whip hit a tree instead and sliced the trunk cleanly in two.

Kagome was watching, apprehensive but not truly afraid. _After all,_ she reasoned, _Inuyasha's beaten Sesshomaru all the time in the past, what's to say he can't now?_ This train of thought was rather brutally ended as something large and heavy collided with the back of Kagome's skull. She collapsed, unconscious.

Some indeterminate amount of time later, Kagome woke up. There was a terrible throbbing in the part of her head that had been hit. She was chained to a stone wall, a quick glance revealed that it was unworked stone; they were in a cave or a tunnel. Looking from side to side, she was amazed to see Miroku on her left and Sango on her right. Their clothes were ripped; bruises, scars, and burns were covering their bodies like grisly tattoos. Sango's head was drooped; she was clearly unconscious. Miroku, however, gave a small grin of assent.

"Ah," he said feebly. "You're awake. Near as I can tell, you've been out for hours."

"What...happened? To me? To you?!" Kagome strained against her shackles; but, predictably, they held. Miroku stared into space, jolted into his memory by Kagome's innocent question.

*Flashback*

__

An entire village...devastated. People dead everywhere. Don't know what's happening. Me and Sango go to see.

A large, muscular man in gray armor, with a huge sword, slicing people and things to bits. We attack.

He deflects Sango's Hiraikotsu like it's a toy. I bring my staff down on his head; he blocks it effortlessly.

His blank expression does not waver as he pounds me into the ground. I've never been hit so hard in my life; it's a wonder I'm still conscious.

As I look up, Sango gets the same. "Sango!" I cry. I fumble with my rosary beads and let the Air Rip do its thing.

He stands firm in the vortex. "I don't have time for games, monk," he says in a monotone, with a British accent. "Put that silly curse away." His cape whips off his shoulders and is sucked in.

The barest trace of a snarl is evident on his face as he advances on me. "That was my best cape," he says, with just a touch of malice. Suddenly, he is holding me by my throat.

"You will not tell anyone that you saw me. If anyone asks, it was that fool Naraku. If you mention me, I will find you. And I will kill you. And perhaps..." He gestures in Sango's direction. "Perhaps I will kill her as well." I struggle, but his grip is too much for me.

He drops me, and I crash to the ground, unable to move for the pain. "The same goes for you," I hear him say to Sango. "Not a word." He turns to me.

"You have seen what I am capable of. You will not tell anyone. On pain of death."

His armored boot lashes out and hits me in the side of the head.

Blackness.

*End flashback*

"Miroku?" Kagome sounded anxious. "What happened?"

"I...I don't remember...it all happened so fast." Miroku cast a sorrowful look at Sango. "It was probably Naraku, though. It...seemed like something he would do." He coughed. "I don't know how long we've been here, but it's seemed like days."

"What's going on? How did you get here? Who's keeping you prisoner?"

"That would be me." Kagome turned her head to see Kikyo standing there, in all her undead glory. "I found them passed out in the woods. There was a small note attached to her weapon," she added, nodding disdainfully in Sango's direction. "_A gift for the living dead._ Such a pretty thing would be invaluable in luring Inuyasha here...and now that I have you, we will have such _fun_ together." From behind her back, Kikyo produced a small, severed dragon's head.

"This is an interesting little toy I put together. Want to see what it does?" She squeezed the neck lightly, and a small spurt of flame came out of the open mouth. "I've been using it to make your friends a little more...docile. And now, with you at my mercy, Inuyasha and that other fool gone, I can have all the fun I want." She grinned evilly as she advanced on Kagome.

Elsewhere, Tobias had finally extracted all the little bits from his face. He was nearly healed; only a few small scratches remained.

"I'm feeling much better," he remarked to nobody in particular. He set off for where he last saw Inuyasha and Kagome.

When he arrived, he was stunned to see Inuyasha in a fight with a demon that he figured must be Sesshomaru. Looking around a little more, he realized that he didn't see Kagome.

"Inuyasha?" he called. No response. "Inuyasha?" he tried again. Nothing. Inuyasha was too deeply embroiled in his battle to notice or care about Tobias's words. Tobias considered this for a minute, then decided on a more direct approach.

****

CLANG!

Tobias added his force to Inuyasha's attack, the combined power sending Sesshomaru flying. He landed beyond sight.

"What do you want?" growled Inuyasha.

"Where's Kagome?" Tobias said simply.

"Don't be so stupid, she's right over-" Inuyasha turned to gesture towards where Kagome was. She wasn't there. "Kagome?" He moved forward a little, and sniffed the air to catch her scent. It was there, but it was old; she had been gone for hours. The fight with Sesshomaru had stretched extremely long...he hadn't even noticed. "KAGOME!" he screamed. He went rushing in the direction of her scent, but stopped dead.

An odd, earthy scent permeated his sensitive nostrils; like clay, almost. His eyes went wide. "Kikyo..." he breathed.

"Kikyo?!" Tobias's expression swiftly changed from puzzlement to fury. "KIKYO! That undead psycho BITCH took Kagome! Right under your fucking nose! How could you not notice something like that?" he shouted. "Well, you're going to help me find her, aren't you?" He walked forward a bit, then stopped. Inuyasha bolted in the direction of the scent.

"WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU GOING??!!" Tobias zoomed after him, catching up after a few seconds. "Trying to leave me behind? Are you so afraid that I'll kill Kikyo?"

"Yes!" Inuyasha roared. "I love Kagome, but I pledged my life to Kikyo! And I won't let you break my promise!"

"Believe it or not, I care about Kagome too! I don't want to find her dead with that zombie standing over her!" Tobias yelled. Inuyasha ran off again, but Tobias was too quick for him. They stopped in a clearing. Tobias's expression softened.

"Look..." he said, coming closer to Inuyasha, "If you take me to Kagome, I swear I won't harm Kikyo. Will you take me now? Or will I have to follow you?" Inuyasha considered this, then nodded slightly. "Good. Let's go, then." They set off, Inuyasha following the scent.

Oooooooh...this does not bode well for our heroes. Kagome's kidnapped and at the mercy of Kikyo! Meanwhile, Tobias can't hurt Kikyo, and neither will Inuyasha...so, when they get there, what's going to happen? Find out next chapter!

Oh, and I almost forgot. I must plug my friend Jamie's story! Plug, plug, plug. It's still on FictionPress.com, still under Poetry: Life: Fantasy, still rated PG, still called "The soothing of a Savage Soul" (exactly like that) and still indecipherable to all but him. Give him a review on your way over! He's already gotten two, and he's very excited. He's not used to getting reviews, you see. I wasn't when I got my first two. So, drop him a line. DO IT! Or I may just have to get tough...how does not posting the next chapter until he gets 5 reviews sound? JOKE! But I could...so review his story.


	22. Kikyo's Mighty Downfall

Hiya, folks! I have some big news, but you'll have to wait to the end of the chappy to find out. Next chapter ahoy!

Chapter 22: Kikyo's Mighty Downfall

Tears streamed down Kagome's face as she struggled to remain conscious through the pain of her burns. Kikyo stood in front of her, clutching the dragon head, with a triumphant smirk plastered on her face.

"You're not being very cooperative, Kagome," she hissed. "Now tell me. Where is Inuyasha?" She gripped the neck of the dragon head. A burst of flames shot out and singed Kagome. Kagome let out a fresh wail and tried to form words.

"I...I don't know. He was...fighting Sesshomaru when I..." She twisted violently as Kikyo burned her again. "I don't know!" she shrieked.

"Hmm...all right. Where is the other?"

"T-Tobias?" Kagome whimpered. "He was...he was hurt in battle and...went to a lake..." She dissolved into sobs. Kikyo sneered.

"Useless, pathetic, weak, trash. You're not even worthy of being my reincarnation. As soon as Inuyasha gets here, I'll finish you off and we'll finally be in hell together."

Kagome seemed to rally her strength for another outburst. "He loves me!" she shouted. "He loves me and he hates you! Even if he won't kill you, Tobias will!" She howled in pain as yet more fire scorched across her burned body.

"Who's Tobias?" Miroku said. Kikyo heard him.

"He is another who travels with her and Inuyasha," she snapped. "He wields a massive sword and seems to be resistant to my magic and my arrows. Even so...he hardly got a taste of my true power last time. If he shows up again, he will die." Flames shot over Miroku, who yelled and twisted violently. "And that is for speaking out of turn."

"Inuyasha..." whispered Kagome, softly enough that Kikyo couldn't hear. "Where are you?"

"KAGOME! WHERE ARE YOU?!" shouted Inuyasha. They had been searching for hours with no success. Frantically, Inuyasha sniffed the ground again to maybe get another fragment of her scent. He smelled it, and raced in the direction it indicated.

"At this rate, we'll get there by nightfall," snarled Tobias. "Can't you go any faster? Or don't you want to interfere with your dead ex-girlfriend?" Inuyasha whirled and planted himself in front of Tobias.

"I love Kagome!" he shouted at him. "I love her with all of my heart! I've loved her ever since we met! Do you think for a second that I'm not trying EVERYTHING I can think of to find her?" Tobias looked at him, long and hard. "Let's go," Inuyasha said shortly. They took off again.

__

Wait... Inuyasha sniffed around. Her scent was there. Not a dying, feeble track, but a strong smell. Kagome was here. He ran and ran, and soon the two of them came upon a cave. A hazy green barrier covered the entrance.

"Do you know what that is?" Inuyasha asked. Tobias shook his head. "I've seen those before. You even touch that thing and-"

"I don't have time for games. Kagome's in there. My sword's magic is stronger than any _she_ could conjure up." Tobias stormed over to the cave entrance.

Kagome turned her head painfully. Tobias was in front of the entrance, and Inuyasha was right behind him! Joy surged through her heart like a tidal wave – _they were saved._

Kikyo noticed too. "Them?" she said derisively. "I'm not worried. That magic is more than enough to keep _them_ out." But even so, she tightened her grip on the dragon head just a little.

They stood at the barrier. Tobias went to touch it, but Inuyasha caught Tobias's hand, and shook his head. They both looked at Kikyo, who raised the dragon head and squeezed it. A jet of flame came roaring towards them and crashed into the barrier. Inuyasha flinched, but Tobias seemed impassive.

"So that's her little trick, is it?" muttered Tobias. "Not hard to get around..." He unsheathed his sword. It was glowing red. "This is it, Kikyo!" he roared. "I'm coming in!" He took his sword and thrust it into the barrier.

It stopped about halfway through. Green lightning arced up the blade and streamed over Tobias, but his grip did not slacken. The sword glowed brighter, and it began to penetrate further. Kikyo raised a hand, which glowed green. The barrier intensified. This was clearly a battle of wills.

Droplets of blood were coming out of Tobias's skin wherever the lightning touched. His teeth were gritted, his eyes were closed, he took one small step forward, then another. Kikyo dropped the dragon's head and brought both hands up to reinforce the barrier.

"Come on, Tobias," murmured Kagome. "You can do it."

"_This_ is Tobias?" whispered Sango. "He's amazing. I think he's going to-"

But Kikyo let out an unearthly wail and focused her energy. A beam of brilliant green energy leapt from her palms and connected with the barrier. Tobias's sword was forced out, and he was flung backwards with such force that he smashed _through_ a tree and right into a rock wall.

He got up almost instantly. The blood seemed to be evaporating off his body, but he did not step forward. Inuyasha approached him.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"I'll be fine in a second," muttered Tobias. "There's got to be another entrance into that cave."

"Umm...no. I've been around here before, that cave is a dead end," said Inuyasha hesitantly. Tobias had a defeated expression.

"Then what do we do? We can't leave them in there," he said, unhopefully. "Are those other two Miroku and Sango?"

"Yeah. Hey...I've got an idea." Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga. "If there isn't another entrance...what do you say we make one?"

A slow smile graced Tobias's features. "I like the way you think," he said. "Let's rock."

Kagome was crying again, tears spilling weakly down her face as she saw Inuyasha and Tobias walk out of sight. _Inuyasha...why did you leave me? I..._ Her thoughts were rudely interrupted by Kikyo.

"See?" she said silkily. "My magic is strong enough to keep them out. Both of them. And you know Inuyasha would never harm me..." She picked up the dragon head. "Now, where were we?"

"They're not gone!" screamed Kagome in a burst of irrational thought. "They'll come back. With more magic! You'll see! You'll pay!"

"My dear child!" shouted Kikyo. "You have seen as well as I can that that magic barrier is absolutely impassable. Who would help them? My little sister?" She laughed; a cold, mirthless laugh. "You can't be serious. The magic keeps them out there, and around us all are solid stone walls. There's no way-"

**__**

BOOM!!!!

The wall to which the three were chained exploded from the outside. Bits of rock and boulders were everywhere in the blast. Tobias and Inuyasha were standing in the crater. 

"Solid stone walls never stopped me before," said Tobias softly. Inuyasha ran to Kagome and helped her up. Tobias advanced on Kikyo.

Kikyo raised the dragon head and gripped the neck so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Tobias raised his arm, palm outward, as if telling her to 'stop'.

A massive blast of fire came roaring towards Tobias. It hit his outstretched hand. The jet split in two around his hand, and the flames went curling harmlessly to the side. Kikyo relaxed her grip, only to find Tobias standing, unscathed.

"No," he whispered. "Try again." Before Kikyo could even process this, he was on her with his sword. Inuyasha looked up from Kagome's injuries to see Tobias rushing towards Kikyo. He picked up Tetsusaiga and hurtled towards them...

...Too late. Tobias slashed her once, and Kikyo fell to her knees. But, oddly, a few seconds later she stood up again. There was a long slash line all across her torso, but it was only deep enough to draw blood. Or, at least, some reddish-clear substance that was in her instead of blood. She glared at Tobias with a look of mixed fear and rage.

"Just a scratch," he said lightly. "I wouldn't want to end this too quickly. After all you have done, you don't even deserve the luxury of a quick death. However," he added, seeing Inuyasha running full tilt towards him, "perhaps a quick death would have been more appropriate-" Tetsusaiga crashed onto his sword with a loud _clang_.

"-considering the circumstances," panted Tobias. Inuyasha had hit him so hard that although he had blocked it, the sheer force of the blow slid him back until he was pressed against the cave wall.

"You said you wouldn't hurt her!" yelled Inuyasha.

Tobias fixed him with a steely gaze. "I lied." Inuyasha roared and began the attack.

"Yes, this is it, now the real fight begins!" shouted Tobias, who blocked two of Inuyasha's attacks and launched three of his own.

Kagome crawled along the floor. There was a pile in the corner with their equipment. Her backpack, Miroku's staff, Sango's Hiraikotsu...ah, this was it. She extracted her bow and an unbroken arrow from the pile.

Kikyo watched the two warriors battle with lips pulled back in a snarl. _That bastard...he thinks he can just do something like this to me?_ She felt her wound; it was not deep, but it hurt. _Him! As soon as this battle is over, I will slay the rest of those pathetic worms and finally travel to hell with Inuyasha where he belongs. I shall rid him of his feelings for my reincarnation, and we shall be together forever._

As the battle raged; while Inuyasha was tiring, Tobias actually seemed to be gaining strength. His sword's glow increased as he pressed the attack, eventually locking swords about five feet from where Kikyo was standing.

"The more enraged I get, the stronger I get," grinned Tobias. "Convenient, huh? And right now, you are seriously pissing me off." He took a step forward and forced Inuyasha back. "Defending her, after all she did to us! How can you?"

"I made a promise," hissed Inuyasha. "I owe her my life. And I actually _keep_ my promises," he snarled, pushing Tobias back.

"You didn't think I was serious?" said Tobias through gritted teeth. "That was just to get you to come here. And now..." He took a small step forward. "I end this." He abruptly broke the sword lock, raced around Inuyasha before he could react, and rushed towards Kagome.

"No!" howled Inuyasha, leaping after him. Tobias was five feet away...four feet...two feet, and Inuyasha could never get there in time...he couldn't even see Kikyo, Tobias was blocking her...his promise was for nothing...he – 

****

TWANG!

THUNK!

Tobias stopped as quickly as if he had just smacked into a wall. He turned to face Inuyasha. The anger seemed to just evaporate off of him. He sheathed his sword.

"Okay," he said. "That'll work." He walked to the side, allowing Inuyasha to see the whole scene.

Kikyo with an arrow in her forehead.

Kagome holding a bow and nearly sobbing with the effort.

Tobias standing to the side, with his head bowed. _Don't laugh..._ he thought. _Don't laugh...Inuyasha will kill me...don't laugh..._

"Inu...yasha..." mumbled Kikyo. She fell. As she hit the ground, she disintegrated into dust and bones until she was no more.

Inuyasha slowly approached Kagome until he was in front of her. She stood up and dropped the bow. Her face collapsed into tears. _Oh gods, what is he going to do? Will he try to kill me?_

"Inuyasha!" she wailed. "Inuyasha, I'm sorry! I had to! You could have hurt Tobias! She was torturing all of us! She-" Kagome was cut off by Inuyasha's lips on hers. She melted into the kiss.

Inuyasha broke away, slowly. "Kagome..." he said softly. "You freed me from my life debt. I...I have never loved you more," he said, sweeping her into his embrace (lightly, so as not to damage her burns).

"Oh, Inuyasha," said Kagome. "I love you." They kissed, a kiss of such intensity that Tobias simply coughed and walked away to where Miroku and Sango now stood.

"So you're Miroku, and you're Sango?" They nodded. "Tobias is the name. Wielder of a massive sword and a massive ego, and would-be slayer of Kikyo. I'm going with them," he jerked his thumb to indicate Inuyasha and Kagome, who had not broken their kiss. "Why don't you just get your stuff while they...finish. I'll be outside," he added, walking past Inuyasha and Kagome to the cave entrance. The magical barrier had vanished with Kikyo's death. Tobias walked outside and lit a cigarette. He took a deep drag.

"Well, that was fun," he muttered.

Hello! Unfortunately, I am sorry to inform you that this will be the last chapter...

.

.

.

For a while. (Fooled you!) I'm going on vacation until next Saturday, and I won't get many opportunities to continue writing there. And the week after that, the dreaded "BAND CAMP" rears its ugly head. So, updates may be a bit sporadic. But rest assured, I will get the next chapter up within two weeks.

I currently have 63 reviews. Whoever gets the 64th will get a special extended response to their review, as 64 is a very special number to me. Why...well, it's sort of an inside joke with my friends. But if you do get the 64th review, try to make it in-depth, and not just "#64! Koolz! Later people!" Please?

To Lasako: You haven't reviewed in a while...why? I reviewed your stories. I like reading what you write in the reviews, but please try and focus them more on the story and less on your – to put it bluntly – ravings. Your ravings are very interesting to read, and I'm not saying you shouldn't do them, but the purpose of a review is to actually review the story. Oh, and I have an idea for another bit with you in the story. I'll email it to you; tell me which email addy of yours works better.

Oh, yes. It has been brought to my attention that my friend Jamie's poem on FictionPress.com has not gotten any reviews beyond the two I mentioned last chapter. I didn't want to have to do this, but he insists that I must. *Sigh*

****

NO MORE CHAPTERS UNTIL HE GETS AT LEAST 5 TOTAL REVIEWS!

So that's FictionPress.com, Poetry, Life, Fantasy/Supernatural, PG, "The soothing of a Savage Soul" by Jamie Sahagian. **DO IT!** Oh, and REVIEW!


	23. What The

I **_LIIIIIIIIIIIVE!_** After such a long drought, I return to you now to give you the next installment. And let me tell you, it's a doozy. I am pleased to note that Jamie's poem has received 6 reviews, so on with the story!

Chapter 23: What The...

Miroku and Sango walked unsteadily outside. Their wounds made it painful to even walk. Sango turned to Tobias.

"So you're Tobias?"

"Yes," Tobias said. He puffed on his cigarette. "Let me get that for you..." He unsheathed his sword. They flinched, but in a few decisive strokes Tobias had cut off their manacles.

"As I was saying. I'm Tobias, and I've been traveling with Inuyasha and Kagome for the last few days. I've heard about you, but upon finding the village it became clear you were not there. What happened to that place, anyway?"

__

"You have seen what I am capable of. You will not tell anyone. On pain of death."

"Naraku," said Miroku confidently.

"Ah. I've run into him before." Before Tobias could get any further, both Miroku and Sango interrupted him.

"Who are you?"

"How did you do that?"

Tobias grinned and cast away his cigarette. "Long story. It starts when those two came to a bar I was at..." He began his explanation.

(A/N: I really don't want to write about all of what he says. I'll be here all night writing. Suffice it to say that he explains everything, even his powers.)

"And then I found Inuyasha fighting Sesshomaru. Kagome was gone. The two of us teamed up and sent Sesshomaru flying, and then we went after Kagome and...you saw the rest."

"That's really interesting. So where did you get that sword?" Sango asked.

"Ah..." A faint tinge of red appeared on Tobias's cheeks. "That's...better left unsaid."

"A mystery man, then?" Miroku said calmly. "Doesn't matter. As long as you're not working for Naraku..."

Tobias scowled. "Don't even suggest that I work for that bastard. What he did to me I'll never forget. And he won't like me when I find him again..." His sword glowed ever so slightly. Regaining his composure, he checked his watch. "WHAT? It's been HOW long?" He stormed into the cave. Inuyasha and Kagome were still passionately kissing, locked in an embrace.

Kagome broke away, looking flustered at Tobias's entry. "Uh...Tobias! Hi! Um...how long have we been here?"

"Half an hour," growled Tobias, jabbing an irate finger at his watch. Kagome looked back at Inuyasha.

"That's got to be some sort of record," she giggled. Inuyasha seemed reluctant to let her go, wounded as she was, but she stubbornly refused any help as she tottered out of the cave. They approached Miroku and Sango.

"How long have you and Inuyasha been together?" asked Miroku automatically. Kagome blushed deeply. Inuyasha gave a small smile and looked away.

"Just a few days." Their stuff had lain in a pile at the back of the cave, mysteriously untouched. Miroku, Sango, and Kagome had re-equipped themselves. Kagome hoisted her pack up a little. "Let's go then!" She then collapsed. Inuyasha dove to catch her.

"Let's _go_? Surely you jest. Not with three out of five of us wounded like this. We'd better wait until you get better."

"Tobias is right," said Inuyasha. "I don't want you getting really hurt, Kagome."

"What are they then, chopped liver?" said Tobias mockingly. "One might think you don't even care about the rest of us."

"I do! I mean...of course I don't, but...well...if you're hurt, it'll just slow all of us down. We'll rest a few days, then," said Inuyasha, annoyed. Tobias laughed.

"So the mighty Inuyasha has a soft spot for his friends. How sweet." He laughed no more, as Inuyasha gripped his throat.

"Shut up!" he growled. He released Tobias, who massaged his neck uneasily. "We'll stay in the cave. It should keep us safe for a few days, anyway."

"I don't see why we shouldn't send out the witch now!" raged Naraku.

"I have already told you, my liege. The spell only lasts a few days. Were we to send the witch now, the effect would be negated. The girl will not be ready for at least three more weeks. Possibly more. I shall have to observe carefully." The General began to walk out, but was stopped by Naraku.

"If this doesn't work..." Naraku threw him a death glare, which seemingly had no effect. Naraku stomped out. The General watched him go with as little emotion as ever.

"Pig-headed, stupid, arrogant, is there no fault that this Naraku does not have? It matters not. Once the spell has taken effect, the jewel will be mine and he will not get in my way." The General lay down on his bed without taking anything off. "Patience is the key."

The next weeks passed without great incident. Kagome made a fuss about everyone's injuries until Inuyasha, in a loud shouting match, agreed to let them stay there for a full week.

"But not one second longer," he snarled as he dug into his ramen. Tobias, in shifts, passed around his sword for fifteen-second increments over the week until everyone was healed. He was approached several times about increasing the time of his lendings, but he refused point-blank to leave himself powerless for any longer. After that, they set off again, now a full group.

Whereupon they were immediately beset by all numbers of beasts, demons, vermin, and other creatures that Inuyasha suspected Naraku was sending. With Tobias's help, and Miroku and Sango acting as reinforcements, the group dispatched wave after wave of demons. Then, inexplicably, they stopped.

Nothing happened for the next few days. Not a demon showed its face. Inuyasha was increasingly puzzled by the lack of enemies. Tobias suspected foul play, but nobody paid attention to him. It seemed that Miroku and Sango had grown closer as well. There was the odd grope and slap, but mostly they seemed to be much friendlier and more intimate than they had in the past.

Inuyasha and Kagome were closer as well. Tobias seemed finally to have stopped interrupting everything that they did together, so they were free to *ahem* enjoy each other's company. Inuyasha knew that he could not claim Kagome until she agreed, but for the moment he was content to make out with her with increasing frequency and intensity.

"I'm BORED!!!" roared Tobias. He kicked a tree. "We haven't seen a demon in over three weeks, and there's NOTHING TO DO!!"

"Well, I warned you about this before you came. This is what it's like sometimes," Kagome said as they walked.

"Yeah, well, at least you have Inuyasha and Miroku has Sango. I haven't seen Lasako or anyone for that matter in weeks! The best I can do is talk to him," he added, pointing at Inuyasha. He was soon punched.

"This is crap. I'm going-" But where Tobias was going, nobody ever knew. For at that moment, a bolt of lightning struck the ground in front of them and a figure emerged from the flash of light.

Old, wizened, and very ugly, a dumpy little witch hovered about eight feet off the ground in front of them. There was a wart on the end of her nose, her teeth were black and broken, she had more wrinkles than a poorly folded road map, and she wore all black, with a pointy black hat to complete the ensemble. When she spoke, her voice floated out as if it had not been used in a hundred years.

"Eins, Zwei! Eins, Zwei! Und durch und durch  
Sein vorpals Schwert zerschnifer-schnück,  
Da blieb es todt! Er, Kopf in Hand,  
Geläumfig zog zurück."

She shot a beam of blue lightning at Kagome. It hit her and illuminated her as she screamed. In an instant, Inuyasha launched at her with Tetsusaiga, only to hear her hoarse laugh as the blade passed right through her as if she was made of smoke. Tobias tried the same thing, with similar results.

The spell abruptly ended. Kagome dropped, unconscious. Miroku rushed to her side as Inuyasha and Tobias faced down the witch. She smiled slowly. Not for effect, but in all her years she had forgotten how. She looked pointedly at Inuyasha.

"What have you done to her?" shouted Inuyasha.

"With your heightened sense of smell,

This surely will be living hell."

The witch cackled in vile amusement. Inuyasha had no idea what she meant.

"What did you DO?" roared Tobias.

"You will find out soon enough,

These spells of mine are all quite rough."

Inuyasha abandoned the witch to dash to Kagome's side. "Is she okay?" he almost yelled at Miroku.

"She's okay. Her pulse is normal, and she's breathing. She's still unconscious, though." With a howl, Inuyasha snatched up his sword and charged the witch again, only to have his attack go right through her frail body without even leaving a mark.

"That attack won't work on me,

I'm not as fragile as a bee!"

She cackled again and swooped off. Tobias swept in her direction, pausing for an instant to turn back to the two.

"Miroku! Sango! Follow me! We can catch her! Inuyasha, stay with Kagome!" The three left. Inuyasha cradled Kagome in his arms.

"Kagome..." he whispered. "Please be all right..." To his great surprise, Kagome blinked and awakened.

"Inuyasha?" she said feebly. "What happened?"

"That witch hit you with a spell. I think she got it wrong, though. You're not hurt, are you?" he added anxiously. Kagome stood up.

"I feel fine," she muttered. "A little dizzy, but..."

"Then sit down." Inuyasha made her sit. He held her tightly in his arms. "It'll be all right, Kagome," he said soothingly. "I'm here for you."

"I'm _fine_, Inuyasha," said Kagome unconvincingly. She gave up and hugged him back. "I'm fine," she whispered.

"Kagome..." said Inuyasha. "I love y-" At that instant, he caught the scent.

Kagome's scent had changed, in that instant. Had Inuyasha been coherent, he would have identified it as Kagome's heat. But instead of subtly teasing his nose and simply annoying him, like it always did, this new aroma was so overwhelmingly powerful that it completely overpowered Inuyasha's thoughts.

His human side did not get so much as a say in things as the sheer force of these pheromones caused his demon side to rise up and assert total control. His thoughts turned to only one instinct:

__

Mate with Kagome.

In the blink of an eye, Inuyasha pinned Kagome to the ground. He shredded off her clothes and disrobed as quickly as was demonically possible. 

"Inuyasha?!" shrieked Kagome. "What's going on?"

He heard her voice so faintly it was as if she had shouted it from miles away.

__

Meaningless noise. Mate with Kagome.

"HELP!" screamed Kagome. She looked at his eyes and saw that they had changed from their familiar golden hue to a deep scarlet. She knew this meant only one thing: his demon side had taken control. He tore off the last of his clothes and pinned Kagome to the ground. He was almost drooling with primal anticipation. _Somebody...anybody...help..._

Oh, you'd just LOVE me to end it here, wouldn't you. I know you would. And so I will. Don't worry, sports fans, I'll get the next chapter up by tomorrow! I just have a bit of...writer's block. Yeah, that's it. *grins evilly* REVIEW!

I've already told you of Jamie's poem, but he insists that I mention it again. Sometimes he insists with an aluminum bat. So, here it is. FictionPress.com, Poetry, Life, Fantasy/Supernatural, PG13, "The soothing of a Savage Soul". Go to it, I say!

And Lasako: When you review this chapter, give me an email address of yours that actually works. I wanted to put another bit with you in the story, but I should really run it by you first. So please do that.


	24. I'm Running And I'm Never Going To Stop

Hi again. Geez, I put one stupid cliffy and everyone goes all to pieces. Calling me an evil perv, threatening to report me for lemon content...do you really think that after twenty-three chapters, I would let this story be deleted for inappropriate content? Have some faith in me! Besides, I can't write lemons. I'll show you.

*Goes to a stranger* "Hello, random sir. Would you please read this that I wrote?"

"Certainly, my boy." *Reads*

"AAUUGH, MY EYES! _IT BURRRRRRRNS!!!!!!_" *Runs screaming into the distance*

See? No go. Anyhoo. On to the story!

Chapter 24: I'm Running And I'm Never Going To Stop

Tobias, Miroku, and Sango were pursuing the witch. Not an easy task, as she was flying around and switching directions every two seconds.

"This...isn't...getting...anywhere..." puffed Sango. "We'll have to-" From far away, Kagome's voice was heard. "HELP!" she screamed. They turned an instant 180 and met hastily.

"I'll go back to Kagome. You two, get on Kirara and chase that witch. If we can catch her, she might be able to remove the spell," growled Tobias. "Got it? GO!" He zoomed off in the direction of Kagome's voice. Kirara transformed with a growl. Miroku and Sango leaped on her back and they flew off in pursuit of the witch.

"What happened? I thought Inuyasha was protecting her!" muttered Tobias to himself as he ran along the grass. "He's a strong warrior. He should be able to help her! Well, it depends on what the spell did..." He dashed along.

He stopped as suddenly as if he had hit a brick wall. An odd new smell had just pervaded his nostrils. But it was like nothing he had ever smelled before! For some reason, it aroused him. It smelled like Kagome, and vivid images filled his head of him and her doing things that he was sure Inuyasha would kill him for. He actually took two quick steps in its direction before shaking his head, in an attempt to clear his mind.

"What the hell?" Tobias demanded loudly. "What is this?" _Let me think...the witch hinted something about smell, this is probably it. But what? It's weird...it's like it makes me want to have sex with Kagome. But what would do that? Wait..._ He stopped cold as he began to put the pieces together. _Inuyasha telling me about her heat...it's been a month...the witch's spell..._

All of the blood drained from Tobias's face. A look of absolute horror came over him.

"Oh, God," he whispered. "Inuyasha..." Without a second wasted, he fairly flew back to the camp. He was literally running faster than he ever had before.

__

I have to get there in time, or... He came upon the camp. Tobias's worst fears were confirmed: Inuyasha had pinned Kagome to the ground, she was shrieking and struggling uselessly against his grip. Tobias quickened his pace even further and held up his shoulder like a battering ram.

Had Inuyasha known what a freight train was, he would have sworn he had just been hit by one. The power with which he was slammed into not only lifted him off his feet, it sent him hurtling through the air. He smashed into a boulder, and the boulder disintegrated into pebbles as he flew through it. He landed, far away, dazed and bleeding; but most of all, angry.

__

Something stopped me from mating. Tobias? Kill him. Mate with Kagome.

Tobias stood over Kagome. Most of her clothes were in shreds around her, and she tried vainly to cover herself up. Tobias, despite her shriek of fear, hoisted her onto his back, the way Inuyasha did it. He sped off.

Behind them, they could hear Inuyasha's howl at finding Kagome missing. Tobias took a quick glance behind him and saw that Inuyasha was coming.

"Hang on," he growled. Tobias bowed his legs and took a mighty leap. He landed in the high branches of some trees and began jumping from tree to tree. He could hear Inuyasha's snarls and curses from behind him.

Kagome was crying. "Inuyasha..." she sobbed. "Why...?"

"Don't worry, Kagome," said Tobias through gritted teeth. "If this is what I think it is, it isn't his fault." The branch they were standing on snapped. Tobias tumbled, but regained his balance and hit the ground running.

Sesshomaru sniffed the air. Inuyasha had been here, not too long ago. _Why won't my stubborn little brother simply give up the Tetsusaiga? It should really be in the hands of one who deserves it..._ His head snapped up at an approaching figure, closing in fast. It was too large to be a human, but a closer look revealed that it was...who was that? A man Sesshomaru had seen once before, fighting at Inuyasha's side. Kagome was clinging to him, and he was running faster than Sesshomaru had ever seen anything move.

Careful observation showed that Kagome's clothes were mostly ripped to pieces. _Perhaps he has done this. No matter. If I capture Kagome, then Inuyasha will surely give up the Tetsusaiga to spare her life._

"Oh, Kagome," he called out. "Come here, I-" A new scent caught his attention. Like Inuyasha before him, the sheer intensity of the heat radiating from Kagome stripped him of his carefully won control.

__

Mate with Kagome.

His hackles raised, he howled and lunged for Kagome as she and Tobias zipped past. Unfortunately, with Tobias's speed and Sesshomaru's unfocused thoughts, his claws swiped at empty air as Tobias ran. Sesshomaru turned and dashed towards the rapidly leaving figure in front of him, all of his thoughts and instincts trained on the smell of the terrified miko who was riding on this man.

"Tell me," said Tobias in exasperation. "Was that Sesshomaru?"

"Y-Yes," said Kagome shakily. Truth be told, she was getting a little motion sick. Inuyasha never ran this fast when she was on his back, and the blinding speed was getting to her.

"Well, that is just fucking perfect," growled Tobias. He raced between the trees, with Sesshomaru and Inuyasha at his heels the entire time. "Inuyasha is bad enough, now there are two of them?!" He ran up a hill and leaped off of it. Kagome shrieked at their rapid descent; but Tobias landed on his feet and recovered swiftly.

A deer stepped lightly through the clearing. It looked one way, then the other. All was quiet. All was safe. It approached the small stream cautiously; predators had been about lately and it wasn't taking any chances. Ears pricked for any sudden noise, it lowered its head and began to drink.

Whereupon Koga immediately sprang upon it and broke its neck.

"Fresh meat," he snarled. "Finally. All the animals near the den has been hunted already, I can't believe I had to come all the way out here to get some prey." He hefted the deer carcass over his shoulder and began to head for home.

__

Wait... Something was approaching quickly. Koga set down the deer and turned towards it. Tobias...carrying Kagome! And she wasn't wearing barely anything! Koga hid in a bush and prepared to leap on them as soon as they passed.

Then it hit him. The scent. He bared his teeth as the smell of Kagome's heat flooded his senses and filled his mind. He was poised to leap again, but for a different reason...

__

Mate with Kagome.

The time was ripe! Koga jumped out of the shrub. He was more successful than Sesshomaru had been, as he actually grabbed Kagome and yanked her to the ground. Kagome screamed at the feral look in his eyes. Tobias did an about-face, grabbed Koga, and hurled him into the distance.

Koga landed with a crash and was instantly on his feet again. He ran fast as lightning towards the source of that delicious aroma. Unfortunately for him; by the time he got there, Tobias was long gone. He howled once and ran towards Kagome.

"That was Koga," said Kagome. She was freshly frightened by this most recent attempt on her innocence. "He's-"

"I...know...Koga..." hissed Tobias. His patience and his control were rapidly ebbing, and he needed to move fast or lose himself. "We fought...remember?"

"Yeah...now I do." Tobias burst out of a stand of trees into a clearing and came to a dead halt. "Oh, shit."

Sesshomaru came from the side. Inuyasha stood in front. And Koga leaped out from behind. The three closed in on Tobias and Kagome, reduced to slavering beasts by the power of the witch's spell. Tobias glanced in all directions.

"There's nowhere to run..." muttered Tobias. Kagome choked back a sob. Tobias looked upward. A smile crept onto his face.

"I didn't say we couldn't escape." Summoning all the strength within him, Tobias crouched. Just before the three demons hit him, he extended his body fully and leaped like he had never leaped before.

He fairly rocketed into the sky. The three howled and roared and gibbered as their focus was taken away. Tobias reached the highest point, he had nowhere to go but down, he reached out a hand...

Well, that's the end of this chapter. ... PSYCH!

A strong hand grabbed onto his. Miroku shouted for Sango's help as he struggled to pull up both Tobias and Kagome. Kirara flew through the sky. She seemed very upset about something. She kept growling and muttering and shaking her nose.

Tobias and Kagome were hoisted onto Kirara's back. Miroku gazed for a second at Kagome before Sango clobbered him. Sango held out a cloak, which Kagome gratefully accepted. Miroku sniffed the air. There was something different about Kagome...

"Good timing, you two," said Tobias shortly. He sat with Miroku and Sango, as far away from Kagome as possible. "If you hadn't been there, I don't know what I would have done. They had me surrounded..." He began to talk about what had just happened. Miroku blinked once, twice. This was something new. It made him...crave something. Slowly, he edged over to Kagome. Tobias was still talking to Sango, so he didn't notice. He was just about to slide a hand over her...

"_MONK!!!!!_" roared Tobias. "If you so much as TOUCH her, I will GUT you like a fish!!" Miroku; completely shocked by this new reaction, slipped back to his place next to Sango. He shook his head, as if trying to clear his mind.

"Well," said Tobias in a depressed tone, "that confirms my theory, at least."

"What theory?" asked Kagome. "Do you know what that spell was?"

"No, but here's my best guess." He turned to face Kagome, almost instantly turning away again when he saw her almost naked body. "I'll be blunt, because there's no time to dally around with semantics. You're in heat, Kagome."

Both Kagome and Sango blushed. Kagome looked very puzzled. "Heat? Like...dogs do? With scent? But humans don't..."

"Yes, I know humans don't!" snapped Tobias. "Not to other humans at least. But Inuyasha and other demons like him have sensitive enough smell that they can pick up on it."

"Then...I've been like this before...why-" Kagome was cut off by Tobias.

"Because, that spell apparently amplified the scent of your heat to tremendous levels. It completely overwhelmed the demons, with their sense of smell and all; that's why they were chasing you. And, as evidenced by me and proved by Miroku, it's powerful enough to affect humans to; though not as much." Tobias was speaking very fast and taking shallow breaths.

"So...what does that mean?"

Before Tobias could answer, Sango came in. "You're not usually like this, Tobias. Is it this spell?"

"_YES!!!_" roared Tobias. "YES! IT IS THE SPELL! DO YOU HAVE _ANY_ IDEA HOW FUCKING HARD IT IS TO KEEP YOUR HEAD WITH HER," he pointed at Kagome, "SMELLING TOTALLY FUCKING DELICIOUS, AND ME TRYING MY HARDEST NOT TO THINK ABOUT THAT FACT THAT SHE IS ALMOST FUCKING _NAKED_ AND PRESSED UP AGAINST ME! SO THAT WOULD TEND TO MAKE ME A LITTLE CRANKY! **_DEAL WITH IT!!!!!_**"

Only the howls and groans of the demons below were heard over the deafening silence that reigned. Tobias took several deep breaths. This seemed to aggravate him more than refresh him, and he finally stood up. He walked to the side of Kirara.

"I need to clear my head," he said shortly. "I'll be back in a while. Don't worry, I'll find you," he said, over the confused voices of Miroku, Sango, and Kagome. "I just need some me time. And make sure to keep Kirara in the air," he added as he jumped off.

Miroku was quiet for a moment, then he spoke up. "Kagome? If I may..."

"Go on..." said Kagome, a little apprehensively.

"I would like to...apologize in advance for...anything I might do. I share Tobias's problem, and I can't just jump down, so...Sango?"

"Yes, Miroku?"

"I ask that if I, at any point begin to do something...inappropriate, that you subdue me until I can regain control. As Tobias said, it is extremely difficult to just sit here and do nothing with Kagome smelling..." He broke off and stared into space.

Sango came closer to Miroku and touched his arm. "That is a very noble thing to do, Miroku," she said gently. "Many males would not have done such a thing." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

He smiled warmly back at her, distracting her with his eyes while his hand slipped around to lightly squeeze her bottom.

"HENTAI!"

*SMACK*

Kagome giggled, just a little. "Some things never change."

About half an hour later, Tobias leaped up back onto Kirara. He seemed less...less frustrated then before. He was still aggravated, mightily, but he managed to avoid any outbursts or fights. Only Kagome noticed that when he came back up, his right hand was slightly red.

"Tobias?" she asked. "What exactly did you do?"

He fixed her with a level gaze. "That," he said slowly, "is my business, and not yours." He turned to the others. "How long can Kirara keep flying?"

Sango leaned over to whisper something to Kirara. The demon growled in response. Sango came back up.

"Only about an hour or so. She's kind of tired..."

"An HOUR? Fucking HELL!" raged Tobias. "If I know anything at all about biology, this heat won't go away for at least two more days! And if we can't avoid these demons for that long, there's going to be a showdown. Quite frankly, I'm not in the best state of mind for fighting." He shot a quick glance at Kagome. "And we can't exactly count on Inuyasha backing me up, can we? Anyone have an idea?"

Well, that's a good stopping point. Plus, I have to be at band camp in ... 15 minutes. So I'll just leave off here. Tallyho! Oh, and REVIEW!

Bla bla bla Jamie's poem bla bla FictionPress.Com bla Poetry, Life, Fantasy/Supernatural, PG-13 bla bla "The soothing of a Savage Soul" bla review bla bla.


	25. The Showdown,,,Well, Sort Of Anyway

Hey all. Tiny chapter this time, sorry about that. But I'm tired, and I can't seem to write today. Just bear with me, and use your imagination to make this a lot more exciting than it actually is. Story.

Chapter 27: The Showdown; Well, Almost Anyway

Nobody had an idea. The concept of every demon – including Inuyasha – trying to get to Kagome was just too much.

"This sucks," said Tobias bluntly. "There is no possible solution that can actually work! I can't run for two days...I need to rest sometime. They, however," he said, indicating the furious demons below, "don't seem to need to sleep. They'll catch up eventually."

"The only thing I can think to do," said Sango, "is just get Kagome in a safe place and hold them off until this is all over."

Tobias fixed her with a steely gaze. "Fight for two solid days? I don't have that much strength in me. I'll get torn to bits, then Kagome..." He broke off and looked away. "I don't even want to think about it."

"And you shouldn't," murmured the General. He was looking at his sword. It had been polished very shiny; but instead of reflecting his face, it showed Tobias and the rest on Kirara. "This spell is working better than I ever thought it would. Quite the stroke of luck, to have them run into the other two demons along the way." The corners of his mouth twitched. "I wonder what would happen should Naraku encounter the scent...I would have to go in and cancel the spell. It would be a pity." The General heard footsteps. In an instant, he sheathed his sword and stood up.

Naraku barged in. The General sank to one knee. "Well?" Naraku barked. "How has that spell worked?"

Before the General could answer, an armor-plated youkai came barreling in after Naraku. He was quite out of breath.

"My lords..." he gasped. "News from the front. The spell has taken full effect. Inuyasha; his brother, the full youkai Sesshomaru; and the wolf youkai Koga are all ensnared."

Naraku's scowl evaporated, to be replaced by a wide grin. "Excellent. You may go." The messenger scampered off. He turned to the General, who was impassive as ever. "Very good work. What has happened to the rest?"

The General stood back up. "I know only as much as you, my liege. Likely less. I have no powers of divination..." Naraku made a noise of disgust.

"Fine, then. Just do whatever you've been doing." He swept out of the room. The General did not move from his spot.

"He is sorely testing my patience," he said. "I cannot wait for Tobias to die, so that I may finish off all of these troublesome demons and claim the jewel for myself. Of course," he added to himself, "I require the miko to reunite the shards. But I cannot imagine it being difficult for her to be...persuaded...to do such a thing."

"So that's what I'll have to do, then," said Tobias. He was very pissed off about the whole situation (as well he should be – A/N.) "Wish me luck," he said, very sarcastically. He hoisted Kagome onto his back. Tobias nodded a quick farewell and jumped off.

He landed more heavily than he had expected and tumbled to the ground. Fortunately for Kagome, Tobias absorbed most of the impact.

"Tobias!" she said worriedly. "Are you okay?"

He stood up. "I'm _fine_," he growled. The baying of a wolf demon was heard right behind them, and Tobias could almost see Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's silhouettes in the trees. "Time to go!" He ran.

Barely a second after he left from the spot where he landed, the three demons came tearing after them, howling and roaring, going as fast as was demonically possible.

__

Mate with Kagome.

Mate with Kagome.

Mate with Kagome.

Tobias glanced behind him. _Oh shit._ He quickened his pace and they sped through the trees.

"Kagome?" he shouted. "I need a defendable place. Is there any caves around here?"

"Umm..." Kagome thought about it. "There's that – wait, you put a big hole in that one...there's another one about ten miles," she pointed, "that way."

Tobias changed course instantly. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru scrabbled at the ground as their momentum carried them off course, but Koga just smirked vainly as he rapidly approached the fleeing humans.

Tobias looked over his shoulder at Koga, who was gaining quickly. "This guy could be a problem," he muttered. He stopped, skidding to a halt. Koga zoomed toward them, but a two-fisted punch in the jaw from Tobias stopped him dead in his tracks.

Unfortunately, this slowed them down enough for Inuyasha and Sesshomaru to catch up. They both leaped for Kagome, and smacked into each other as Tobias jumped away from them. With a snarl, Sesshomaru elbowed Inuyasha aside and slammed into Tobias.

Tobias choked, a trickle of blood coming from his mouth. Sesshomaru used this distraction to grab Kagome and pull her off Tobias. Tobias wheeled and pursued Sesshomaru.

The demon pinned Kagome to the ground as she screamed. Tobias got there first. Sword in hand, he slashed Sesshomaru across the back. As Sesshomaru howled in pain and anger, Tobias picked up Kagome again and they ran off.

Inuyasha came in close behind, he was about to catch them...  


"SIT!"

Inuyasha was slammed into the ground. Growling and cursing, he scrabbled against the dirt in a vain attempt to get up. Koga leaped in and clawed Tobias across the face. Tobias kicked him in the ribs and resumed running.

"This...isn't...working..." growled Tobias. "I've got to keep running. By the way," he added, "Inuyasha seems to have kept at least some presence of mind."

"Wh-why?"

"He's dressed again, if you didn't notice, and he's carrying Tetsusaiga."

"Tetsusaiga?" gasped Kagome. "How? If he's full demon-"

"I don't think he's full demon, Kagome," panted Tobias. "I think he's just gone berserk." Inuyasha leaped at them with a roar. Tobias dropped Kagome and brought his sword up to meet Tetsusaiga.

***_CLANG!!!!_***

The sheer power at which the two swords met sent burning sparks everywhere as the two struggled for dominance. Tobias brought his knee up and hit Inuyasha in the groin. Inuyasha dropped Tetsusaiga as he gasped for breath through the excruciating pain. Tobias wasted no time in kicking him in the chest and sending him flying into a tree. He then picked Kagome back up and continued running.

The General raised an eyebrow as he looked into his sword.

"Oh, look," he said softly. "More friends arrive."

Six more demons burst through the trees and swooped upon Kagome. Tobias turned with a flourish and sliced two of them in one clean stroke. Three of them popped up from behind, Tobias leaped over their heads and decapitated them all. The last demon ran at Kagome, snarling. Tobias turned and pointed his sword straight into its foul heart.

"_Take this_!" A blast of fire erupted from the tip of the sword and engulfed the demon. Its blackened skeleton fell to the earth even as Tobias took off running again.

"They can keep this up forever," he panted. "I can't run this long..." He screeched to a halt. Kagome lost her grip and tumbled to the floor. Tobias shot out a hand and helped her up. "Well," he said, sounding very depressed, "that's the end of that problem, at least."

They stood at the very edge of a mind-bogglingly high cliff. Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, and Koga stood in front of them, cutting off their only escape route. Kagome closed her eyes in fright. Tobias grimaced.

"I can't fight here," he muttered. "There's only one thing to do." He faced the demons with his head held high.

"See you later," he whispered.

Tobias dropped to one knee and sank his sword into the earth. A tangible shockwave emanated from his sword, rippling through the ground and turning the rock to powder. The edge of the cliff crumbled, and Tobias and Kagome fell into the abyss.

That's not so much a cliffhanger as it is a cliff-faller. Oh well. My writing skills are currently leaving much to be desired, so if I continue you'll just give up the story in disgust. Sorry. But here's the chapter, review it, I'm depressed right now for some reason and my story sucks. Review.


	26. Finally, The Battle

Hi again. I've battled through my bout with depression, and am now more self-confident now. I seem to be in a bit of a writing slump, though, but I'm getting better by the hour. I really like this part, but you'll absolutely HATE me for the ending of this chapter. Oh well. Story off the starboard bow!

Chapter 26: Finally, The Battle

Kagome shrieked as they plummeted. Tobias seemed concerned but not at all panicked.

"Are you insane?" she screamed. "Why did you do that?"

"Would you rather be back up there with them?" he countered. "They can't follow us down here..."

"Yeah, but we're not going to live to see them again!" shouted Kagome. "Do you really think you can survive falling this far?"

"I've done it before..." Tobias grabbed Kagome. He pressed her back to his chest and maneuvered himself so that he would take the impact. He expected to have to struggle to keep down his instincts, but there, oddly enough, was no urge.

"I just realized," he yelled, "In this wind, I can't smell your heat anymore! Which means I can actually think and come up with a plan." He thought.

Kagome was suddenly struck by an irrational thought. "You're powered up, right? Can you fly?"

"No..." Kagome's face fell. "But I can do the next best thing," Tobias shouted. With one arm, he held his sword out above them. It glowed red, bright enough to make Kagome turn her head and squint her eyes. The air around them began to glow red too.

"What are you doing?" she yelled.

"Hot air rises," shouted Tobias. Sure enough, their descent was slowing significantly. Good thing, too, as the ground was rapidly approaching. As they fell some more (A/N: TOLD you this was a tall cliff), however; it became increasingly apparent that while they were slowing down, they were not even close to stopping.

"It's not working!" shrieked Kagome.

"All right. Get ready for impact!" Tobias concentrated, they slowed some more but the ground was so close...

***_WHAM!!!!!!!_***

The incredible force at which they hit the ground opened up a crater in the loosely packed earth. Tobias had taken the fall, Kagome was shaken but unhurt. She freed herself from Tobias's grip and stood up, to survey the damage. Tobias did not move.

"Tobias?" she said anxiously. "Tobias, are you all right?" He stirred. He got up, wincing in pain. He coughed up a bit of blood and spat it to the side.

"I've been better," he said weakly. "That only bought us about a minute's lead time on those three, so let's not waste all that effort." He hoisted Kagome onto his back again, grimacing at the fresh onslaught of her tempting scent. "Let's move!" He began running again.

Demons leaped from the trees and the brush, snarling and howling. Kagome cried out as one of them raked her shoulder with its claws.

"Don't worry about it, Kagome," Tobias panted. "Those are small fries next to the last three. They won't get you." He easily outpaced all of the lesser demons and continued running. Behind him, he could hear the baying of three demons, one wolf and two dog. They were gaining.

Kagome saw something ahead. A large stone structure...a cave! "Tobias!" she shouted. "There's a cave up ahead!" Tobias ran to where she was pointing.

Inside, the pungent stench of mildew sent Kagome into a fit of coughing and normally would have done the same to Tobias. But with the potent scent coming from Kagome, he couldn't even smell it. He gently laid Kagome down, and bent close to her to say something. Tobias clamped his eyes shut and fought against the urge to take her, even as he spoke.

"This is the best defensive position I can find. I'll stay out here and hold them off. If I'm lucky, I can incapacitate them long enough for us to think of a better plan." He lowered his voice. "_Don't leave this cave_. I can't protect you if you leave." He was gone with a whirling of his cape.

Koga, Inuyasha, and Sesshomaru were hot on the trail of Kagome's delicious scent. Inuyasha growled to the others and pointed. They ran, but almost immediately encountered a host of lesser demons who were also following. The weak demons squealed and gibbered as the three powerful ones tossed them aside or just plain killed them on the spot. The three came upon a cave, Kagome was clearly inside. Inuyasha attempted to get in, but they all stopped at what was blocking the entrance.

Tobias stood, sword out, standing in front of the entrance to the cave. The wind rustled his hair and fluttered his cape. His sword glowed faintly red. He did look very impressive. They could just see Kagome cowering inside.

"You are not in your right minds," he said calmly. "Leave now, and I promise that no harm will come to you." Sesshomaru and Koga looked puzzled, but Inuyasha laughed. He extended a hand.

"_Give up girl_," he snarled, in a deep voice quite unlike his own. "_Or die._"

"So it has come to a fight?" responded Tobias. "Very well then." He struck a fighting pose.

"Bring it on," he whispered. All three demons leapt at him, but Inuyasha was first with Tetsusaiga.

Time seemed to slow down as the two swordsmen brought their blades against each other. They connected with a clang and a clash. Tobias threw Inuyasha off him. Sesshomaru came in from behind; Tobias did a roundhouse kick and knocked him off his feet. Koga popped up and raked his claws across Tobias's armor with a useless _shiiiiing_. Tobias slammed his fist into Koga's face.

Inuyasha rammed into Tobias, catching him off guard. Tobias stumbled, Sesshomaru and Inuyasha both slashed him in his face. He cried out in pain as he stagger-stepped backwards and swung his sword at both of them, missing widely. After a second, he regained his footing and struck back with a vengeance.

While Tobias was occupied with Sesshomaru and Inuyasha, Koga snuck behind Tobias and made his way to the cave. Most unfortunately, Tobias spotted him. He broke free of his youkai attackers and charged Koga. Picking him up bodily, Tobias threw him into Sesshomaru, knocking them both off their feet. Inuyasha blew past Tobias and ran into the cave.

"SIT!!" Inuyasha was pounded into the ground with magical force. Growling and cursing, he struggled against the spell. It faded, but the second he leaped up Tobias was there. He sliced a path across Inuyasha's chest with his sword and sent him flying outside with the other two. Tobias ran out to meet them.

He entered with a flying kick that knocked Sesshomaru senseless. Inuyasha and Koga approached from both sides; Tobias swung his sword and slashed them both in one stroke. They both fell back even as Sesshomaru leaped at Tobias. With an angry roar, the demon toppled Tobias to the ground, slashing at his unarmored flesh. Tobias managed to throw him off, then sent the sword through his arm. His claw marks sizzled and burned with poison, but Tobias chose to ignore the pain for other pressing matters.

Koga landed on Tobias's head with a roar and began scratching and biting him. Tobias, staggered by the ferocity of the attack, ran backwards and rammed Koga into the wall of the cave, before kicking him into Sesshomaru.

Inuyasha charged, a feral glint in his eyes as he brought Tetsusaiga down across Tobias's back. Tobias grimaced and returned the favor with a strike across the ribs. A furious swordfight ensued. _Inuyasha seems to be doing the best in this battle,_ thought Tobias grimly. _Maybe his human side is lending him intelligence without giving up any conscience. Great. Just what I need._

Suddenly, Inuyasha backed away with a wicked gleam in his eyes. Sesshomaru and Koga tried to break past him to get to Kagome, but he stopped them.

"_Girl must wait,_" he said, in that horrible deep voice he had gotten. "_Focus on sword-man first. Once he gone, then girl._" He gestured. "_He gone soon._" Tobias looked in the direction Inuyasha had indicated.

Tobias suddenly had a horrible sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. Hundreds, if not thousands, of humanoid youkai were stampeding towards the small cave, each hell-bent on claiming Kagome while her arousing fragrance lingered. Tobias swallowed, stood in front of the cave, and raised his sword.

"Swordplay and fisticuffs won't kill all those youkai," he muttered to himself. "Time to turn up the heat." His sword, which had been glowing, began glowing even brighter than before. When Tobias spoke, it was with a voice that they had never heard him use before. It was hollow, soft yet echoing around them, and seemed to penetrate their hearts rather than their ears. It was the verbal equivalent of looking into an abyss, and all other noises were simply pebbles pitched down, to see how deep it truly was.

"**Blade...**" He gripped his sword tightly, with two hands. The youkai were approaching...

"**Of...**" Inuyasha grabbed Sesshomaru and Koga and pulled them out of the way. The sword glowed, brightly as a shining star, in Tobias's hands. He pulled it behind him, then swung it as one would a baseball bat.

"**_DEATH!!!_**" A huge, fiery red, ethereal blade emerged from the end of Tobias's and went straight through the ranks of demons. The attack hit with such force that they were blasted to pieces by the sheer might of it. The massive blade continued for a short distance past them, then dissipated.

Not a single youkai had been left alive. Of the hordes, all that was left was a path of destruction and a few body parts. Tobias lowered his sword, breathing very heavily. _Did I get the other three in there too?_

His question was soon answered. Inuyasha charged in. Drained, weakened as Tobias was by the power of that attack, he could barely respond. Inuyasha kicked his hands savagely. The sword went flying from Tobias's grip, sailed through the air, and planted itself firmly in the ground. Immediately Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, and Koga were standing in front of it, blocking Tobias from running to it.

A look of absolute fear and anger swept over Tobias's features. What could he do? The demons snickered as they closed in.

Yup, you guessed it. That's the end. "NOOOOOOO..." is the cry I can hear out in Readerland. Don't worry yourselves about it. I'll update before the end of this week. Don't you just love a good cliffhanger?

"**_NO!!!_**"

Apparently not. Oh well. Toodles.

REVIEW!!!

Jamie's poem. Want to know more? Go back to an earlier chapter. I've run out of clever ways to introduce it.

Lasako: WHERE ARE YOU? I need that email address...and your feedback means much to me.

And a big shout-out goes to Kai19, who has reviewed lots of chapters and ALWAYS has useful feedback. Big hand for Kai and Lasako, readers!


	27. The Fight Rages On

Hey all. So many reviews...my life is happy. I cannot WAIT for the 100th review. That will be the coolest thing...100 reviews...I can finally say I've done something with all the time I wasted watching anime. Long chapter this time, and while I really hate to do this to you, I will end it on...ANOTHER CLIFFHANGER! **BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! WORSHIP ME, MORTALS! I CONTROL YOUR STORY!** Ahem. Bit of a power trip, there. I'll do my best to get the next chapter up by Monday.

Chapter 27: The Fight Rages On

Kagome was watching the whole situation from the cave. She saw Tobias battling all three with the courage and ferocity of any demon.

"Come on, Tobias," she muttered. "You can beat them. Just don't hurt Inuyasha..." The three demons backed off. She saw the army of demons, Tobias's fighting stance, his impressive Blade of Death attack. "Wow! That's almost as good as the _Kaze no Kizo_!" Her thoughts were cut a bit short by Inuyasha subsequently disarming Tobias, and the three of them guarding his sword.

"Oh no," she whispered. "Tobias...he's just a normal human now. I just hope they don't pick it up."

Tobias looked the three demons right in the eye. Then, incredibly, he began to run full speed at them. Full human speed, however, was not that impressive. Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, and Koga looked almost bored as they waited for him to arrive. Tobias reached into a pocket...

...and pulled out the BIGGEST pistol Kagome had ever seen. It was an old-fashioned six-shooter, but it looked almost new. It was as if he hadn't ever used it before. Tobias aimed with one hand and steadied his grip with the other. He fired his first shot.

***BANG!!!***

Sesshomaru was struck in the chest and flung aside. Tobias grimaced as the recoil of the gun almost broke his wrist. The sound of the gun going off caused the other two to howl in pain and clamp their hands over their ears. Which was exactly how Tobias had wanted it. Still running, he took aim again.

***BANG!!!***

Koga dropped like a stone. Tobias groaned in pain at the gun's powerful kick. "This is so much easier when I'm super-strong..." he muttered. He aimed at Inuyasha. He had a shot lined up, but even as he ran, he hesitated. Could he shoot Inuyasha?

***BANG!!!***

Apparently so. Inuyasha fell, clutching at his chest. He tucked his gun, which by Kagome's count now had three bullets left in it, back into his pocket. All three demons now indisposed, Tobias ran and grabbed his sword with his right hand as he ran by. The second he possessed the sword again, he took a mighty leap into the air, rebounding off several trees, and landed back in front of the cave. Without turning, he spoke to Kagome.

"There's another cave about 500 yards from here," he said quickly. "I saw it when the trees were destroyed from my attack. Go to there. Remember I said not to leave? Leave for there."

"But..." She looked at the fallen youkai. "Will they..."

"They're demons, Kagome!" shouted Tobias. "They can take that kind of punishment." The three began groaning and trying to pick themselves up again. "It won't keep them down for long." Inuyasha got up, growling. "RUN!!"

And Kagome ran, as she had never run before. Sesshomaru leaped at her from behind, but Tobias came sailing in and knocked him out of his path. Kagome fairly flew in the direction Tobias had indicated, not even glancing over her shoulder to see the approaching demons. Inuyasha came roaring up the path, eyes blood red.

"SIT! SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT!!!" Inuyasha got pounded into the ground so hard he left an Inuyasha-shaped crater. Kagome found the cave and darted inside. _At least this one doesn't smell so bad,_ she thought.

The General looked with at his sword, and the events depicted in its reflection. Without making a single facial expression, he managed to convey his obvious disapproval.

"Now where is that witch?" he said quietly. "Witch?" He raised his voice. "Witch? Are you near?"

The old witch came sailing in through the window. "You rang, Colonel?" she said sweetly. Or at least, what she thought was sweetly. It turned out to be a horrible, grating tone that made anyone but the General grimace.

"What, no more rhyming? And I am a general, not a colonel."

She shrugged. "The rhyming was just a gimmick. And I know your rank, I'm just pulling your leg...Captain!" She exploded in foul laughter. The General's expression did not waver.

"Can you cast a spell from a long distance? That girl keeps disabling Inuyasha with some magical rosary beads and the command word _sit_, and I would appreciate it if you would make it so she could not speak that word. Can you?"

"Certainly, Commander. But it'll only last as long as her heat spell." The witch's eyes glowed pale black. (A/N: Work with me here. Try and imagine a pale black.) She began to speak.

"Es brillig war. Die schlichte Toven  
Wirrten und wimmelten in Waben;  
Und aller-mümsige Burggoven  
Die mohmen Räth' ausgraben!"

The General nodded slightly.

"That is perfect. You may go."

"See you later, Sarge!" The witch laughed maniacally all the way out of the General's room and down the corridor. The General shook his head.

"Batty old woman," he said softly. "But, she has useful abilities, so we shall retain her services. And if Naraku..." here his eye twitched, "if Naraku tries to get rid of her..." He lapsed into silence.

In the new cave, Kagome was hunkered down, watching Tobias battling Inuyasha and the others outside.

Suddenly, Kagome felt a faint tingling feeling; like when she had been hit by the witch's spell, only far less in intensity. She could almost hear the echo of the witch's voice. _What was that? Ugh...that spell must have had some lasting effects. It's like she cast it all over again, only less so._

Inuyasha seemed to be battering Tobias an awful lot; Tobias was definitely slowing down. He had scores of claw and bite marks, and quite a few wounds inflicted by Tetsusaiga. In this case, Inuyasha was about to leap onto Tobias from above while he was preoccupied by Sesshomaru and Koga. Kagome took a deep breath.

"S-" When she tried to say the word of subdual, she gagged on it and began coughing up a storm. Clearing her throat and shaking her head, she tried again.

"SI-" It was like the word stuck in her throat. Kagome tried again, and again, and again; with the same result every time. No matter how much she tried, Kagome just could not say "sit". _Wait...that tingling...the witch's voice...maybe, she cast another spell! But how would she know?_ Kagome called out to Tobias, who was struggling to break the sword lock with Tetsusaiga.

"Tobias! The witch..." Tobias's sword flared. He knocked Inuyasha away, and slammed Sesshomaru and Koga into each other. He then ran to the entrance.

"What?" he demanded urgently.

"The witch cast another spell, I think. I can't say s-...I can't say s-i-t. Every time I try, I start choking, and..." Tobias's face twisted into a snarl.

"Dammit. That is just fucking ALL we need right now. How could...how would that old..." He stood up. "Never mind. I have more important things. If you see Inuyasha coming toward you, scream for me." He bent down close to her. "I will protect you, as long as I can stand and fight." He turned away just in time to repel Sesshomaru from barreling into the cave. Tobias cut him across his back with the sword, then leaped back into the fray.

All of a sudden, Inuyasha backed off again. He had a wicked smile on his face. Through the battle, Tobias's theory had been confirmed: his human side had been giving him intelligence without the benefit of its love for Kagome. When Inuyasha spoke again, it was in the same guttural, harsh voice; but his vocabulary had expanded.

"_Think about it, Tobias,_" he growled. "_You can smell it too, right?_"

Tobias's expression flickered. "Smell what?" he said, trying to be confident. Sesshomaru tried to attack, but Inuyasha held him back.

"_Kagome's heat? Doesn't it make you want to just pin her down and fuck her silly?_"

Tobias closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. He hated to admit it, but Kagome's scent had actually been growing stronger the last few minutes. "Stop it," he said forcefully.

"_Don't try to deny it. I know you want to. We all want to. So why are we fighting?_"

Beads of sweat appeared on Tobias's forehead. His grip on his sword tightened, then loosened a little.

"_If you let us have her, we'll let you go first. While she's still innocent._"

Tobias's closed eye began twitching. Every instinct in his body was screaming at him to go along with what Inuyasha was saying, but his heart told him otherwise.

"No!" he growled at them. "I won't do that to her!"

"_Why would you care what she thinks? You're stronger and faster than her...you could just take her and there would be nothing she could do about it. Come on. Make your choice._"

Every muscle in Tobias's body clenched for a second as he and his instincts fought a furious battle for control. Most unfortunately, he chose this moment to take a deep breath, to try and calm his frayed nerves. This sort of had the opposite effect, considering Kagome's arousing scent in the air. Tobias opened his eyes.

His eyes were flecked with spots of red, and Tobias smiled viciously even as he turned back to the cave. "You know what?" he said softly. "You're right." He began to walk back to the cave. "Oh, Kagome?" he called out.

Kagome had seen the whole thing happen, and heard most of it. She knew what Tobias was coming for, and she wanted no part of it. "S-stay away!" she screamed, backing up in the cave until she hit the far edge of the damp wall. "I mean it! Don't come any closer!"

Tobias was undeterred. He walked into the mouth of the cave. "Kagome, the boys and I had a little talk," he said; his voice tinged with desire. "We decided that, while this spell lasts, what harm would it do to..." Before he could finish, Kagome began screaming at him.

"Don't listen to them, Tobias! They're trying to trick you! I don't want us to do...that! Go away! Fight them! THEY'RE JUST STANDING THERE!!!"

"Kagome, Kagome, Kagome. There are certain...extenuating circumstances to take into account here. Your scent, for one." Tobias walked up to her. He grabbed her left arm and smiled evilly right into her face. "I know I want to."

Kagome shrieked and struggled. Out of pure desperation, she wound up and punched him in the nose.

Oddly enough, this worked. Tobias let go of her and flew through the air, slamming into the far stone wall and smashing his head on the rock. His hand flew to his nose, which was now a bloody mess.

Kagome looked at her fist in pure astonishment, and saw that it was glowing white. _My miko powers! Of course...they come to my defense._

"Ow! That fucking hurts! You know I'm hurt already...why would you do that to-" He cut off. Tobias looked at his hand, which was covered in blood from his broken nose. He tried to take a sniff, but only got blood, no air at all.

Tobias began to laugh. He stood back up again. His eyes were back to their normal black color. He marched right out of the cave and faced down the demons again.

"Kagome just broke my nose," he said simply. "Miko powers, I suspect. The upshot is that _I can't smell anything anymore_." Comprehension dawned on everyone's face, including Kagome's. "So, if you please, I'll continue this fight where we left off." They wasted no time in charging him, and he them.

Tobias began to win. It seemed as though; now that the heat scent had let go of him, he had cleared his mind and redoubled his efforts. He battered Inuyasha, Koga, and Sesshomaru with a vengeance. His sword flashed as if there were five in his hands.

But the demons had increased their efforts as well. They were fighting so heatedly it was as if they would never stop, as if they would keep fighting through all eternity. Hours passed, and they kept on battling. Tobias, even though his head was clear, was tiring rapidly. The battle was shifting in favor of the demons again.

Tobias was on his last legs. He needed to do something, and fast. Koga leaped at him from the left. Out of pure instinct fueled by anger and his sword's power, Tobias whirled on him and smashed a fist into his head as hard as he could.

To his considerable surprise, Koga dropped, and instead of springing back up, snarling; he lay motionless. The other two demons stopped to look. Tobias quickly knelt down and put his hand to Koga's throat. A pulse. _I don't have to kill them...I can knock them out!_ Tobias twirled around and lunged for Sesshomaru. Taken by surprise, the Lord of the Western Lands could only stare dumbly as Tobias rushed at him.

Channeling his power into his fist, Tobias slammed a punch into Sesshomaru's forehead. Sesshomaru was unconscious before he hit the ground. Only Inuyasha now remained.

Tobias turned to face Inuyasha, but in that same instant, Inuyasha shoved Tetsusaiga through Tobias's unprotected stomach.

Tobias gasped, a trickle of blood coming from his mouth as he fell to his knees. Inuyasha kicked him once, for good measure; then turned back to Kagome. She whimpered and backed up, but she was against the wall and it did no good. Inuyasha advanced on her, he was almost in the cave...

"No..." she whispered, almost too softly for even Inuyasha to hear. And in that single word was not anger, or fear, or desperation. It was hopelessness. Hopelessness and terrible sorrow. That the person she loved could do such a thing. As soft as that word was, it reverberated through Inuyasha's head as if she had bellowed it. His human side stirred.

__

No! it said fiercely. _I won't let you rape Kagome! I love her! I WON'T LET YOU!!_ Inuyasha froze in his tracks and clutched at his head. He howled and howled for the terrible wracks of pain that were pulsing through his mind. Kagome cowered in the corner. Inuyasha fell to his knees. Slowly, he dragged himself out of the cave, as if his very body was rebelling against him.

"Kagome..." he grunted. This was not that guttural voice his demon side had adopted, but his actual voice. And in his voice he held so much pain and sorrow he thought he might burst. "Run..."

Tobias wearily stood up. His face contorted in pain, he began to pull Tetsusaiga out of his stomach.

Kagome inched past him, and slipped out of the cave. She stopped and bent closer to him.

"Inuyasha..." she whispered. "I love you...always..."

"GO!!!" he screamed. Her heat was closer to him, and his demon side was rising up again. Tobias walked over, every step causing him pain. He held his sword in one hand and Tetsusaiga in the other. Summoning his final strength, he brought Tetsusaiga high into the air.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. Summoning his final strength, Tobias slammed Tetsusaiga through Inuyasha's back and into the earth. Inuyasha roared in pain as he was smashed into the ground. The incredible might with which the sword had been stuck in the ground pinned him to the ground as effectively as if Kagome had 'sat' him, but likely longer lasting. His eyes were red as he clawed at the ground, trying to free himself. His demon side had taken over again.

"Come on, Kagome," said Tobias. "Let's go." Kagome moved closer to Tobias, and he reached an arm over her shoulder. She recoiled a little, thinking he was making a move on her, but he did nothing. Using that arm to hold himself up; he walked unsteadily away, with her supporting him.

When they were a good distance away (A/N: which took a long time considering Tobias's injuries), Tobias stopped. He turned to Kagome.

"I'm sorry, Kagome," he said quietly. "I'm so sorry..." To Kagome's complete astonishment, he began to cry. "I failed you," he whispered in a ragged voice. "I can't defend you any more."

"No! Don't say that..." Kagome was trying to comfort him, scrambling for answers as this was the LAST thing she expected to happen. "You protected me for almost a full day! Against those three!"

"But I'm useless now," he continued to sob. "I can't fight; I can hardly lift my sword. I can't run; I need your help to walk. And they'll be back on our trail in minutes." Tears streamed down his face as he sat down heavily. "There's nothing more I can do. They'll be tracking us like a couple of bloodhounds. There's no way to get rid of them!" He slammed his fist down on the rock, but this simple gesture took so much of what little energy he had left that he collapsed into lying down.

Kagome pondered his words with a heavy heart. She shared his thoughts, there was nothing they could do, they were like bloodhounds, they...

__

Bloodhounds???

"Tobias!" He lifted his head a little. "Wait! You haven't failed yet. I have an idea! It's-"

Yeah, you guessed it. It's the end of the chapter. Another cliffhanger. You just want to hunt me down and explain to me why I should resolve my cliffhangers; likely with some very sharp and searing hot metal instruments to drive the point home. I know some people do.

LASAKO! WHERE ARE YOU??? I MUST GET FEEDBACK... feedback... feedback... echo... echo...

Oh yeah. The witch's spells aren't just gibberish, you know. They're actually stanzas from a rather well-known poem, in another language. Whoever gets both the language AND the poem correct gets...a warm fuzzy feeling inside. Hey, what can I do over the Internet? Also you'll get kudos from me in the subsequent chapter.


	28. The Solution To All Problems

Hey again. I've been feeling rotten about these tiny chapters I've been putting up recently, and about the cliffhangers, so I'll kill two birds with one stone. MEGA-MONDO chapter here, over 10 pages long! Easily my longest chappy EVER! And for once, it DOESN'T END ON A CLIFFHANGER! Yay, yay, STORY!

Chapter 28: The Solution To All Problems

The General was staring at his sword. Kagome was helping Tobias walk through the forest.

"Perfect," he said tonelessly. "Tobias can barely move. He will be nothing once the demons come back. And when they do..."

"Then what?" Naraku appeared in the doorway. In one swift movement, the General sheathed his sword, spun so he was facing the door, and sank to one knee.

"My liege," he said. "I did not notice you coming. I-" Naraku broke him off.

"I was walking down the corridor, when I saw you looking at your sword for some reason. I seem to have seen an image reflected in its blade that was not this room."

"My liege...surely you know I would not hide anything from you. If I had any other abilities, you would have known about them already."

"Draw your sword," Naraku commanded. The General did as he was told. "Now give it to me. We'll see for certain about that sword." The General did not move. "Well? Give it to me!"

"I request that you not ask me to surrender my sword...I do not feel entirely comfortable without it." The General was impassive, but Naraku narrowed his eyes.

"So, hiding something from me, then?"

"No, my liege. I would never-" In that instant, Naraku lunged for the hilt of the General's sword, aiming to yank it right out of his hand.

Naraku was fast. The General was faster.

Before Naraku was halfway there, the General leaped backwards across the room. Restraining the instinct to strike out at Naraku, the General whipped his sword out of the demon's reach. He landed in the far corner of the room and resumed his kneeling. Naraku was in awe. How could anyone move that fast?

"I beg of you, my liege, I must be in possession of this sword at all times. You may examine it, but I must keep it in my grasp." Naraku snorted in derision.

"Very well. Show it to me, then." The General walked back across the room and held the blade up so Naraku could see it. The only image in the blade was that of Naraku's reflection. Naraku glared at the finely polished surface, then batted it away and stormed out.

"That was far too close," muttered the General to himself as he heard Naraku leave. "I should think it wise to not use that ability until I am free of that wretched hanyou."

"Water!" Kagome exclaimed.

"What?" said Tobias faintly.

"You know...like when someone is being chased by dogs, they go through the water and their scent is gone! We could try that!"

Tobias shook his head. "Your scent is in the air, Kagome. Tracking through water wouldn't do any good. Besides, water carries a scent like anything else. Just diving in a lake will have no effect."

"Well, then...we'll do both. We go to a river, and I go in. The flowing water will wash away the scent!" Tobias stood up. A gleam was beginning to return to his eyes.

"You think so...?" he said slowly.

"What else can we do? It's either this...or we wait for them to get loose." Without a moment's delay, Tobias grabbed onto Kagome's shoulder and the two of them set off.

"Where's the nearest river?" Tobias panted.

"I don't...wait!" The sound of flowing water reached Kagome's ears. "That way!" They moved toward it as quickly as they could (which was just over regular walking speed.) The forest behind them was silent. The demons had apparently not awoken from the beating Tobias gave them.

"Quite the stroke of luck that the river was so close by," said Tobias wearily. "If it hadn't been, they might have caught up before we reached it." He glanced around. "We're almost there...just a few more..." The river came into sight. It was about twenty feet wide and ten feet deep at its lowest point. Kagome immediately waded into the water, only to shriek and leap back out again.

"It's cold!" she hissed, pointing at the water. Tobias just looked at her. "But...there are more important things," she said, embarrassed. She walked into the water, wincing at the frigidity of it, until she was shoulder-deep in the river.

She was being pulled and dragged at by the current. Her borrowed cloak was like a wet blanket; weighing her down and dragging her in the direction the river was flowing. Before she had a chance to voice her concerns, Inuyasha burst into the area.

He was still bleeding from Tetsusaiga, and he looked raging mad, ready to kill. Tobias stood up and raised his sword. It shook in his hand as he spoke, taking breaths as necessary.

"Heh...it's working already. The scent is dissipating..." To Tobias, the heady aroma was fading fast; after a few seconds, he couldn't smell it at all. Inuyasha blinked, sniffed the air, blinked again, shook his head a few times, and looked around. And with that, Inuyasha came awake.

Thoughts of all sorts were battling for priority in his head, but his mind went something like this.

__

Where am I?

This really hurts...it feels like I've been in ten fights. What happened?

Why is Kagome in the river with that cloak on? What happened to her clothes?

What HAPPENED to Tobias? The guy looks half-dead!

He spoke up. "What happened? Where am I? What happened to you?" he asked Tobias, who had to sit down, lacking the strength to stand. Tobias's face changed slowly to wonder.

"You...don't remember?" he said hesitantly. "Anything?"

"No, nothing. So, tell me. What happened? I don't remember anything for..." He thought hard. "The last day. Was it that witch's spell?"

Tobias looked at Kagome, who looked back at Tobias.

"In a sense...yes..." said Tobias quietly. He limped over to where Inuyasha was standing. "Maybe your human half would help you remember. I don't expect Sesshomaru or Koga to know, but you..."

"Sesshomaru? Koga?! What about those two? Were they here?" Tobias sighed.

"You don't remember fighting me, almost to the death? Or almost raping Kagome before I could get you away?"

"WHAT?! What are you-" Memories rushed to Inuyasha all of a sudden; a tidal wave of memories. _Kagome's heat – lying on top of her – chasing Tobias – Sesshomaru and Koga – fighting, fighting, fighting – stabbing him – almost..._

Inuyasha stared at Tobias. Tobias nodded grimly. Inuyasha cast a horrified glance at Kagome. By chance, she was looking at Tobias at that moment. _She won't even look at me..._ Without another word, Inuyasha turned and ran, as fast and as far as his legs would take him.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome called out. "Wait! Don't..." He was gone. Tobias limped over to where Kagome was in the water.

"Let him go, Kagome," he said softly. "Put yourself in his position for a minute. He almost raped the woman he loved, and now he has to live with it. He needs some time."

"But...it wasn't his fault! He couldn't..." Kagome trailed off.

"I think that's part of the problem. He'll think he can't control his instincts, and he'll be scared to be around you."

"But he shouldn't! I'm safe now..." Tears welled up in Kagome's eyes. "INUYASHA!!" she shouted into the forest. "COME BACK!!"

"_Come back..._" drifted Kagome's voice through the trees. Inuyasha quickened his pace. _It's not safe for me to be near her. I might...do something._

"He'll come back eventually, Kagome," said Tobias. He did not sound hopeful. "And if he doesn't, we'll hunt him down and drag him back, kicking and screaming." Even through all this mess, Kagome found the image of Tobias and her dragging a raging Inuyasha through the woods so funny that she burst out laughing.

"I guess so. He wouldn't leave forever..." Kagome slipped on an algae-covered rock and nearly slipped under the water. Her cloak was tugging at her, being caught by the current. This was not working.

"Tobias...?" she said quietly. "My cloak is dragging me under...the current and all...I think I need to..."

"Go ahead, Kagome," muttered Tobias. "I'll be in the trees close by. Not like I can do much of anything for or against you now," he added as he painfully walked away.

Kagome took off her robe, shivering with the cold. This was much better. She wasn't being weighed down with wet clothes anymore, at least...and nobody was around to watch, so it wasn't that big a deal.

"Think of it as a really long bath, Kagome," she muttered to herself. "Because I'll have to be in here for a while."

Tobias had sat down to rest. He was panting heavily. There was no way he could travel in his condition. He was losing blood from a score of claw and bite marks, not to mention the large hole in his stomach from Tetsusaiga.

"Well, this is it," he murmured. "Unless something happens, I'm not going to survive the night." Just as he said this, something happened.

Kirara swooped overhead, did a quick 180, and came down to land near Tobias. Miroku and Sango hopped off and were immediately shocked by Tobias's injuries.

"What happened to you? Where's Kagome?" demanded Miroku.

"They didn't get her, did they?" said Sango worriedly.

Tobias shook his head. "She's safe now. She thought of a way to get around the spell. Right now, she's in the river. The water is washing away the scent. And as for what happened to me...well, fighting and running for roughly twenty-four hours straight, against the three toughest opponents I could find, would tend to get one all beat up." He tried to stand up and collapsed.

Miroku and Sango hurried over and helped him up. "We need to get you some help," Sango said. "Kagome left her pack with us when you left, and all of her medical supplies are here. Let's get you to a village."

"No!" said Tobias. "I have to stay here, with Kagome."

Miroku sighed. "Fine, then. We'll set up camp here, and treat your wounds as best we can."

"I heal fast, but even so, this is going to take a while." Miroku and Sango began setting up camp and bedding for Tobias.

Later that night...

Kagome drifted idly in the water. She had been in there for hours, and she was freezing cold; not to mention exhausted. _I can't tread water forever...what am I supposed to do?_ She thought briefly of just lying on the edge of the water and sleeping, but as she considered this, the angry snarls of the three crazed demons popped into her head. _Okay, I'll stay in._ She was so tired, though...what was she to do?

Inuyasha kicked a few rocks. The shame and anger he felt with himself was like nothing he had ever felt before. _What have I done? I almost...raped her. How can she even stand to be around me?_ Frustration rose up in his heart. _She probably only sees me as a dirty half-breed who can't even control his own instincts._

Far away, he heard splashing noises. _Kagome?_ He moved closer, holding his breath to get a quick look. He came upon the clearing where Kagome was when he left. There was a pile of wet clothes, but no Kagome. He moved downriver, thinking all the time. _Where is she?_ He got his answer soon when he caught up with her about a mile downstream.

Kagome was drifting along the river. She looked unconscious. Worse yet, the river was flowing right over a waterfall, and unless he didn't get there soon...

"KAGOME!" he shouted, tearing through the underbrush to come to her aid.

Kagome sank. In her dream, she was surrounded by a cold, lifeless blackness that seemed to suck away all of her energy. She struggled a little, but it closed in around her like a thick blanket. Her thoughts turned to only one thing.

__

Inuyasha...Help me...

Inuyasha dove into the water. He swam quickly until he found Kagome, grabbed her, and pulled her to the surface. _Why did she have to be so far down the river? Did she fall asleep?_ With her cradled in his arms, he swam – with her – back to the spot where she originally was.

As Kagome fought against the encroaching darkness, she felt strong arms encircle her waist. She felt herself being pulled from the heavy darkness and back into the light.

"Inuyasha..." she murmured.

Kagome was in the shallows, but she wasn't breathing. Inuyasha panicked. _Think, dammit, think! You've seen those books she carries around! If someone is drowning...pull them out of the water, try and get the water out with...oh, gods, do I have to do that? What if she catches me and gets frightened?_ Kagome's face began to turn a shade of blue. _Dammit, she's worth it!_ Inuyasha lowered his mouth to hers and began giving her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. He pressed lightly on her chest to try and force the water out.

She was out of the suffocating blackness, but still feeling its effects. She felt her dream savior kissing her and caressing at her chest. _Inuyasha..._ she thought. _He's saving me..._ She struggled with all her might.

Kagome coughed once, twice. She spat out a lot of water and coughed again. Her eyes fluttered open.

"Is it...real?"

Inuyasha moved away to get a better look, when he noticed her eyes. She was awake. _Oh Kami, she's awake. What will I do?_ He laid her on the edge of the river (keeping her head above water) and let go of her.

Or, at least, he tried. Kagome's arms flew around his back and pressed him to her so tightly that she seemed incapable of letting go. Inuyasha panicked and tried to break her hold, but Kagome only rose up and put her face to his.

"Kagome," he said desperately. "I'm sorry. You were drowning, I-" He was cut off by Kagome firmly pressing her lips to his. Tears dripped down her already wet face. Inuyasha was completely shocked. _After all I did to her, she still...?_

They finally broke apart. "Inuyasha..." whispered Kagome. "I love you...so much..."

"K-Kagome..." said Inuyasha. "Aren't...aren't you...scared?"

"Baka!" She bopped him on the nose. "Why would I be scared?"

"After what I almost did! After I almost raped you! Why WOULDN'T you be scared?" he demanded.

"Inuyasha..." She silenced him with a finger to his lips. "You weren't in control. It wasn't you doing it. Now that you're here, I feel safe."

"You shouldn't..." Inuyasha turned away. All the pent-up sadness and anger at himself spilled out in a rush of words and emotions. "I couldn't even control my own instincts! Sesshomaru is right. I'm just a dirty half-breed. Why was I so weak? I can't even stop myself...you deserve better." He turned to leave.

Kagome clasped him to her. "No! Don't go! Inuyasha..."

"What?"

"You don't get it, do you." Kagome was getting mad. "You didn't fall for it because you're a hanyou. Look at Sesshomaru and Koga! They're full-blood demons, and they got caught in the spell. Even Tobias and Miroku had problems with the scent. You're not weak...that spell was just too strong."

"But I am weak," he returned forcefully. "I'm just-"

"Inuyasha, stop insulting yourself and listen to me for five seconds!" Kagome was definitely mad now, but her voice softened. "I'm not scared, or angry, or afraid, or anything. You didn't remember most of it, you probably don't remember when..."

"When what?" _Oh Kami, what did I do?_

"When Sesshomaru and Koga were knocked out, and you stabbed Tobias with Tetsusaiga, you were coming right for me and there was nothing I could do about it." Inuyasha broke her off.

"Why didn't you just sit me?" Kagome sighed. This was going to take a lot of explanation.

"I couldn't. The witch cast another spell and I couldn't say the word. But what happened was..." She regained the thread of her story. "You were heading right for me, and I couldn't do anything about it. And then, you stopped."

Inuyasha froze. "I did what?"

"You stopped, right outside the cave I was in. You sort of grabbed at your head and screamed a lot, and then you told me to leave. It was you talking, Inuyasha, not the demon inside you. I remember it clearly. You stopped yourself from harming me. You overcame the demon."

Inuyasha's face was brightening. "Does that mean..."

"Inuyasha, I know you would never let yourself hurt me. And you proved me right yesterday. You are _not_ a dirty half-breed. You _can_ control your instincts. And you know what?"

"Wh-what?" Inuyasha stammered.

"I love you. I love you and I always will love you; whether you're demon, human, or hanyou." She swept onto his lips for another bruising kiss. Her hands moved over his chest to toy with the rippling muscles under his kimono. Inuyasha gasped into the kiss.

"Kagome...I love you...more than anything..."

"I love you and I want you more than I ever have," whispered Kagome. "And I'm not scared. Tonight, I want you to prove that you love me. I'm ready."

"WHAT?" Inuyasha was sure he had heard incorrectly. _Just hours after I tried to rape her, she says this? Is she saying what I think she's saying?_

Kagome giggled. "Do I have to spell it out for you?" She pressed her body to him, so firmly that all the breath rushed out of his lungs. "Please...make love to me."

Inuyasha could have sworn his heart stopped when he heard that fateful sentence. Jaw working, he could think of no answer other than to kiss her, long and desperate. If that was possible, she held him even tighter to her than before, as his leg slipped to rest between hers.

Some minutes later, Miroku, Sango, and Tobias were in camp. Tobias was covered in bandages and gauze, with some special herbal remedies added just in case. He had a crutch nearby, in case he needed to walk, but Miroku and Sango weren't going to have any of THAT. No, he needed his rest.

"You know, even without all this stuff, I'll be okay in a few days..."

"But with 'all this stuff', you'll be healed sooner. Now go back to sleep. You've had a long day," said Sango.

At that moment, they all heard Kagome's scream echo through the woods. But only Tobias heard the other noise: a muffled, feral growl. Miroku and Sango started off, but Tobias beat them to it. Grabbing his crutch, he tore off in the direction of the scream. 

"Kagome's in trouble!" he shouted back, by way of explanation and apology.

When Tobias burst into the clearing, all he could see was Kagome, lying in the shallow water near the edge of the river. She was breathing heavily. Tobias hobbled over as quickly as he could.

"Kagome!" he said. "Are you all right? What happened?" Kagome waved a hand to silence his questions as she took great gulps of air, trying to regain her composure. After a few seconds, she spoke.

"I'm...fine. I just...must have...fallen asleep or something...and gone under the water...I'm fine now...just a little breathless..." Tobias looked anxious.

"Going to sleep in a river is dangerous! Do you want me to stay here and make sure you don't fall asleep again?"

"No!" Kagome choked out. "No...I'll be fine...just got a little panicked...I can handle...myself..." Her breathing was slowing.

"All right..." Tobias stood up with some concern. He walked away slowly, but paused at the edge and turned around.

"Are you sure?" he called out.

"I'm fine. Now go back and rest. Speaking of that...where did you get all that stuff?"

"Miroku and Sango," he said nonchalantly. "They caught up with me just after I left you."

"Fine then. Make them happy by going back and resting. You need it." Tobias left.

A pair of golden eyes appeared in a tree hanging over the water. "Is he gone?"

"Yeah, he's gone." Inuyasha jumped out of the tree and landed silently on the ground. He crept back into the water, whereupon he and Kagome immediately grabbed each other and began kissing desperately.

"I didn't think it was possible...I love you more than ever...my mate..." murmured Inuyasha.

"Oh, Inuyasha..." purred Kagome. "I love you. I love you!" She kissed him again. "Mate...right? Is that what you call it?"

"I am a dog demon," growled Inuyasha affectionately, "so you are my mate."

"That was...just...unbelievable. I've never felt anything like that."

"You liked that?" said Inuyasha in a deep, sexy voice. Kagome nodded faintly. "Then you'll love this."

It was fortunate that Tobias tripped and swore loudly when he hit the ground right then, else he might have heard the other noise echoing from the river.

Kagome weakly swallowed a bit of blood and breathed heavily. She had bitten down hard on her bottom lip to stop from screaming out in pleasure again. She absolutely melted into Inuyasha's arms.

"One thing, though," said Inuyasha while Kagome's breathing slowed again. "Why are we keeping this secret? You're my mate, I want the whole world to know!"

"Because of Tobias," murmured Kagome. Inuyasha looked puzzled. "The way he is right now; if he finds out we...mated, he's going to think you raped me, no matter what we tell him; and he'll never forgive himself for it. Better to tell him later, when he isn't panicked like now."

"All right, mate. We'll tell him...eventually." Kagome giggled and kissed Inuyasha again. "I love you," said Inuyasha for what seemed to be the hundredth time. "And I always will." He brushed her hair to one side and smirked.

"What?" she said playfully.

"You didn't notice?" he grinned. "I marked you." Kagome looked as best she could at her neck and saw a large bite mark there. "Now we are officially mates."

"The hickey of the century," Kagome giggled. Inuyasha stared at her, confused. "Never mind. I love you, Inuyasha. And _I_ always will."

"Kagome..." Something had just occurred to Inuyasha. "You're still in heat, so now that we've mated...two things."

"Y-yes?"

"One, you'll finally have let go of that scent. Two..." He hesitated. "You're...more likely to breed now...so..." Tears of happiness welled up in Kagome's eyes.

"Inuyasha?" she said. "Are we going to have a baby?"

__

Damn right. "Yes, Kagome. We're going to have a pup." Kagome cried tears of joy, right into Inuyasha's already wet shoulder. "I'm so happy..." she whispered.

"Me too," he whispered back, kissing her yet again.

Yes, for once, dear readers, I do not end on a cliffhanger. So tell me...what do you think? Inuyasha finally gets lucky...but in a way NONE (well, almost none) of us predicted. REVIEW, I COMMAND THEE!

Lots of other stuff goes here, about my friend's poem (FictionPress.com, The soothing of a Savage Soul, Poetry, Life, Fantasy/Supernatural), and about the various people who review (I LOVE YOU ALL!) and about various other things, but it's 6:00 in the morning and I don't have the energy. Read the blinkin' story. Toodles.


	29. I’m Running Out Of Good Chapter Titles

Howdy. I found a fantastically funny website, home of Jeremy "Norm" Scott and his comics. Go to www.ape-law.com /evilmonkey (without the space between com and /evil, for some reason it dies when I upload with a hyperlink) and read such titles as Hsu (pronounced 'Shoe') and Chan, The Otters, Violence Man, and more! Lots of laffs and 100% free!

*Receives large check from Norm Scott*

I wish. ON TO THE STORY!

Chapter 29: I'm Running Out Of Good Chapter Titles

The General lay in his bed, ragged wool blankets pulled up to his waist. He had disrobed, but still held his sword tightly in one hand. He was not sleeping.

*Flashback*

The General was on one knee, in a room quite unlike his current one. It was a large throne room. Ornate hangings were hung on the gleaming white walls, antique furniture was arranged tastefully around the area, and a golden throne dominated the center. In this throne sat an older man, bedecked in full regalia and with a jeweled crown atop his head.

The General himself also looked very different. He wore chain mail instead of his gray plate armor, and he wore a short sword at his side. He was not quite as muscular and did not have the expressionless features he wore always. His face was darkened with shame.

"You realize what could have happened?" said the king gravely.

"Yes, my liege."

"You could have been wiped out! Your entire army might have been routed! If it were not for Marcus's troops reinforcing your own, we would have suffered a terrible defeat." The king indicated a man standing next to him. He was in brilliant golden armor, with pure white hair and yellow eyes. At his side, he carried a large sword. The man flashed the General an arrogant smirk.

"I am sorry, my liege," said the General in a supplicating voice. "I will do better next time."

"If there is a next time," returned the king forcefully. "Your men will be on patrol until I say otherwise. You are dismissed." The General stood up and slowly walked away, doing his best to ignore the condescending looks shot at him by Marcus. He left.

Outside, the General's features changed swiftly to rage. After a cursory glance to make sure nobody was watching, he spat on the floor in front of the palace steps.

"That wasn't very nice, you know," came a voice from the shadows. The General jumped and whirled in that direction. A lanky, raven-haired teenage boy stepped from the darkened area. He had roguish good looks and a winning smile, quite different from the patronizing sneer of Marcus.

The General smiled. "Oh, it's you. Hello."

"Heya." The boy came over and began walking with the General. "So what was that display of expectoration all about?"

"What do you think?" muttered the General darkly. "The king put my troops on patrol." The teenager winced.

"Ouch. What happened? Did you get beaten in battle or something?"

"Let me tell you..." His voice reeked of frustration and anger as he turned to face the boy. "Pretty-boy Marcus convinces the king to attack Mistaria, claiming they're building up military forces or some such thing. Since I've been on my best behavior lately, the king surprises everyone by sending me into battle instead of Marcus."

"That sounds pretty good. Chosen over the king's own son?"

"I'm not finished," growled the General. "I ask Marcus if he has any intelligence that might prove useful in the coming battle. He says he does not. So my armies arrive in Mistaria, whereupon they immediately fall into an ambush. Hundreds were slain in the first wave alone, and we were ill suited for battle on the sloping, hilly terrain. My men put up a strong defense, but the Mistarians knew the land, and essentially decimated my troops."

"Go on..." said the teenager, listening intently.

"Right when it seems I'm about to lose, Marcus swoops in with his army and beats them back. He then proceeds to berate me for not gathering sufficient intelligence and marching blindly into battle. I pointed out that I asked him for any intelligence he may have had; and he clearly had some, judging on his epic entrance; and he dismissed it as irrelevant. We pull out of Mistaria, regroup, and defeat the locals jointly."

"Why is that so bad? I mean, Marcus was being a jerk, but..."

"Once we win, of course Marcus immediately sends word that _he_ conquered Mistaria, leaving out the part where I absorbed the ambush so his privileged men wouldn't have to, and of course the king believes him. We head back for home, whereupon the king yells at me for losing so many troops. Now Marcus is the hero and _I'm_ the one who made the tactical blunder!!" The General was yelling by now, livid with rage.

"That really sucks," said the teenager bluntly. "And now you're just on guard duty?"

The General grimaced. "Yes. The only reason Marcus's troops even made a dent in the enemy's line was that blasted sword of his."

"Huh?" This stopped the boy cold. "The sword? How?"

"You know how it grants him powers of lightning...he called down a thunderstorm and tore the enemies apart. My troops are superior to his, my tactics are better, I am a better strategist and yet because of that bloody sword, _he's_ the one who wins everything!" The General sighed.

"I believe in you. Marcus isn't the brightest guy in the world, I'll admit that. One day, I just know...one day, you'll defeat the greatest army in the world."

The General smiled. "I thought _we_ were the greatest army in the world."

"Well, whatever." The General laughed, for the first time in weeks.

"That means a lot to me. Thanks. Unfortunately..." He looked away. "I'll be leaving soon, and I don't know when I'll be coming back." The boy recoiled.

"What? Why?!"

"What use would I be here? All the plum assignments go to Marcus; and now that my men are on guard patrol, there's no use for a tactician like me around. Nobody will be sorry to see me leave, anyway."

"Well, send me a messenger once you do whatever it is you're gonna do. I know I won't have as much fun without you around."

"Well," chuckled the General, "that's one person's opinion. Who knows? Maybe I'll find a sword just like Marcus's and win the king's respect."

"Yeah!" The boy was excited. "That would be awesome. We'd never lose a battle!"

"No, we would not." The General walked toward his barracks. "I'm leaving at sunrise tomorrow, so I guess this is goodbye."

"See you later, then." The boy walked away. The General watched him leave.

"Nice kid," he muttered. "Too bad he'll die with all the rest when I come back." He began walking down the long path to his sleeping quarters.

*End flashback*

Kagome awoke. She was in Inuyasha's arms, and he was still asleep. They were in the water up to their necks, but they were lying on the bottom so they wouldn't drift away. The sun was rising. Kagome, very gently, tried to disentangle herself from Inuyasha's slumbering embrace without waking him, but as she slid out of his arms he muttered something. His eyes blinked open.

"Kagome..." he whispered. "I love you."

"I love you too, Inuyasha." It seemed that they just could not say those words enough. Kagome rose from the water but stopped suddenly.

"Do you...think it's safe?"

"Safe?" Inuyasha grinned. "We mated, so your heat is over. It's perfectly safe." Kagome tentatively stepped out of the water. She shuddered as the wind blew across her dripping, unclothed form. She grasped for her cloak and wrapped it around herself.

Inuyasha sniffed the air. Kagome's scent was back to normal. He got out of the water himself, taking his fire-rat kimono and wrapping it around Kagome. As his arms encircled her, she leaned up and they kissed again.

"Um...Inuyasha? Do you know where they are?" Kagome didn't have a clue.

"I can smell Tobias's blood," he said softly. "He's over this way." He led her through the forest. Birds twittered in the growing daylight. A squirrel scampered along the path in front of them, holding a nut in its paws and chittering away. The sun-dappled leaves cast spidery shadows over the cool forest path. Quite simply, it was beautiful.

After a few leisurely minutes, they came upon Miroku and Sango's camp. Tobias was lying on a bed of blankets. He appeared to be asleep. Most of his wounds were healed, and he seemed healthy enough.

"Hi!" said Kagome brightly. Miroku and Sango both started and looked up. Tobias opened one eye.

"Ah," he said. "You're back. I take it the spell ended?"

"Yes..." Kagome shot a glance at Tobias. He didn't seem to be catching on. "The water trick worked. The scent went away."

"That's odd," said Tobias. "Doesn't it normally last two days? It's only been about thirty-six hours..."

"Ah..." Kagome's cheeks turned a faint pink. "Well, I don't know, but I'm fine now so it must have ended."

"Hmm..." said Tobias. He sat up. "Now that is peculiar." Kagome squeezed Inuyasha's hand gently. _Help me out here,_ was the clear message.

"Well, it worked, so it doesn't matter how. Now if you're not too crippled to move we can start actually looking for shards again," Inuyasha barked. Kagome was shocked at his gruff manner, but a quick glance in her direction revealed that he was putting on to avoid suspicion.

"Gee, Inuyasha, I thought you'd be a little more sensitive; seeing as it was YOU who 'crippled' me in the first place," Tobias shot back.

"Why didn't you just run?"

"You think I didn't?!"

"Quiet!" yelled Kagome. Everyone looked at her. "Stop fighting. We're all fine now, so let's just get on with our lives." Tobias and Inuyasha grumbled but sat down. Sango brought out some of Kagome's ramen for breakfast, and they all chowed down.

"I was thinking..." Kagome glanced at Inuyasha. He was too busy shoveling food into his mouth to listen. "I'm running out of stuff...so, maybe I should-"

"Hold on," said Inuyasha angrily, putting down his ramen. "You want to go back to your time?"

"Well, yes. I have things to-"

"We have things to do! We've got almost every shard except for the ones Naraku has! We've never been this close before and you want to LEAVE?"

"I-" Kagome stopped. Inuyasha was not one for double entendres, so did he realize what he just said? "Inuyasha?" she said, tentatively, looking at him. "Do you mean..."

Inuyasha looked at Kagome. _Wait...what did I just say?_ He shook his head. "I mean...you know."

"So what? Are you going or not? If you aren't, I am."

"Why?" demanded Inuyasha.

"I need to do some things...things that need doing," said Tobias awkwardly. He turned a light crimson. "Just trust me on this one."

Kagome blinked. "If you're going anyway, then I'll come with you." She stood up. "Inuyasha...I need to talk to you for a minute." He shrugged but went off with Kagome. When they were out of earshot, Kagome turned to him.

"Inuyasha, I need some time."

"Time?!" He couldn't believe his ears. "Time for what?" _Is she rethinking the whole thing? Does she not want to be mated to me?_ "Well?"

"Don't get me wrong, here," said Kagome defensively, raising her arms palms outward. "I'm not saying...I mean, what we did last night was unbelievable, but..."

"Well? Out with it!" Inuyasha roared. He was scared and angry at Kagome's words. She cringed a little, but soldiered on.

"I need to think. I'm not reconsidering anything. I love you, Inuyasha, and I'm proud to be your mate." To drive the point home, she leaned over and kissed him. He tried to deepen, to prolong the kiss, but she pulled away and resumed talking.

"I need to tell my parents, for one, and I need to get some...supplies. I won't be long...I just need to think about this. Remember, about a month ago, when you went and got drunk with Tobias? You said you needed some time to think...will you do that for me?"

Inuyasha calmed down. She wasn't having second thoughts after all. "Sure," he replied softly. "Go ahead. I'll stay here and make sure those two don't get captured again." Kagome smiled.

"You do that. We'll be back in a few days." She kissed him one more time, then stood up and walked back to camp. Tobias was lounging next to a tree.

"Are you ready to go? The well's pretty far away..." he said nonchalantly. "Am I going to have to carry you again?"

"No," said Inuyasha, coming out of the woods. "I'll come with you. You can ride with me."

"Yeah," said Miroku. "We'll come too. We've gone too far off course. I don't think there are any jewel shards around here. Kagome?"

"What? Oh..." She concentrated, but came up short. "Nothing." They began to pack up camp.

A few minutes later; Tobias, Miroku, and Sango were riding on Kirara while Kagome rode Inuyasha. Tobias turned to the others.

"What is going on between them? I mean, they've been close these past few weeks, but ever since this morning they just could not get enough of each other."

"I don't know," said Sango. "Who can tell, with those two? They were at each others' throats for a long time, and only just recently have been affectionate."

"Right..." Tobias stared into the distance. "Hey, whatever happened to Sesshomaru and Koga?"

"Did you kill them?" said Miroku.

"No, I just knocked them out. Didn't I tell you all this? I knocked them out and I pinned Inuyasha with Tetsusaiga. It baffles me as to what happened last night between those two, though." He relaxed. "Well, at least I know he didn't take her. That water did the trick."

Below, in the woods, Inuyasha raced along, with Kagome clinging to him. She purred softly into his ear. Inuyasha smirked. _That's my mate...bold as anything._ It really surprised him, though, when her arm unslung itself from his shoulder to gently stroke his fuzzy ear. A pleasurable tingling spread through his ear, and he shuddered at the sensation.

"Kagome..." he panted. "Do you...want me to...drop you or something?" She giggled.

"I'm sure you can handle it, mate," she cooed.

__

Mate, huh? I'll show her 'mate'. Without losing his careful grip, he softly dragged his claws up her thigh to her hip. She shivered at the gentle caress, and her legs tightened around his back. Smirking again, he gave her a light pinch, causing Kagome to yip in surprise.

She leaned her head into the crook of his neck and began kissing near the junction of his neck and shoulder. _Little vixen,_ thought Inuyasha desperately. It was getting harder and harder to maintain his focus while she was teasing him like this.

Preoccupied as he was, Inuyasha failed to notice a tree root sticking out of the ground. He tripped and went flying, landing in an ungainly sprawl. His first instinct was to protect Kagome, so he pulled her off his back and held her above the ground as he skidded along the forest floor. The upshot of all this was that when they slowed to a halt, Kagome was lying on top of Inuyasha again. Kagome laughed aloud, but only for a second, as Inuyasha claimed her lips with his own.

In the air, Tobias saw Inuyasha stumble and land with Kagome on him. They began kissing and caressing each other. He turned to Sango.

"Those two...at it again." Miroku and Sango had questioning looks. "Inuyasha tripped and Kagome landed on top of him. They'll be a minute, so if you could just hover for a second I can get them up again." Kirara, hearing this, dropped low; skimming the treetops. Tobias leaped down and approached the couple.

"While it is good to see you two are on friendly terms again, we would like to get to the well by sundown," said Tobias lightly. Kagome broke her embrace. Inuyasha growled a bit, but a heated glance from Kagome told him all he needed to know:

__

We'll finish this later.

Eventually, with much fluff along the way, they reached the Bone Eater's Well. Kagome disentangled herself from Inuyasha, got her pack from Sango; and, with Tobias, leaped down the well.

End of chapter. Not only am I running out of good chapter titles, I'm running out of good ending bits! Geez...31 chapters...my well of imagination is beginning to run a bit dry in terms of idle banter. Don't worry about the story, though; I've got enough plot for at least 31 MORE chapters! We haven't even got to the second major event yet – oh, and I say too much. REVIEW!


	30. Fairly Uneventful

Heigh-ho. New chapter up. For once, it's not an action scene, a cliffhanger, or a fluffy romance bit. Well...technically there is romance, but it's all in Kagome's mind anyway, what with Inuyasha being in the past and all. TO THE STORY...AWAAAAAY!

Chapter 30: Fairly Uneventful

"Bit of a disorienting journey, isn't it?" said Tobias, a little dazed as he clambered out of the well with Kagome.

"You get used to it. I need to tell my parents...something." Kagome blushed and looked away.

"What?" She shook her head. "Okay...I'm off now. I have to meet some people and talk some things over. I'll be back in a few hours." He ambled away. "Stay out of trouble," he added.

"Wait!" Kagome said. Tobias stopped and turned to her. "Aren't you supposed to be protecting me?"

"From what?? There's no demons in this time...the worst that could happen is some guy doesn't like you. And I've got that whole situation locked down nice and tight. So don't worry. I will be back." He left. Kagome watched him go.

She turned to the path towards her house. It seemed a million miles long, but the door came all too quickly. Kagome paused and stared at the door, as if wishing she could just leave now. _No,_ she reminded herself. _I have to get this over with._ Summoning her courage, she opened the door.

"Mama," she called. "I'm home." She had only made it to the dining room before Grandpa approached her.

"Oh, Kagome," he said in his gravelly voice. "How's it been in Sengoku Jidai? Has that demon fellow done you any harm?"

"Grandpa! He's fine. He just gets a little annoyed when you try to banish him every time he shows up." Kagome sighed. Her grandfather could be way out of touch sometimes. "Is Mama home?"

"I think she's upstairs." Grandpa hobbled off. Kagome slowly walked up the stairs. _Courage, Kagome...courage..._ She opened the door to her room and saw her mother inside folding clothes.

"I'm home, Mama," she said faintly. Kagome's mother stood up quickly, then turned around and embraced Kagome.

"You've been gone so long," she said. "Over a month. Why didn't you come back sooner?"

"We've been...really busy. There were lots of demons, and...Mama, there's something I need to tell you."

"What is it, dear?" Her mother sat down. "Whatever it is, you can talk to me about it."

__

That's the problem. "Well...it's about Inuyasha...and me."

"You and Inuyasha?" She was apprehensive, but leaned a little closer to Kagome. Kagome sat down on the bed next to her mother. "What about you and Inuyasha?"

"Well...we..." Her resolve was faltering. "It's...it's hard to...well, we..."

"What, Kagome? Did something happen? He didn't...did he...touch you inappropriately?"

"No! No...Mama, it's..." Kagome wanted, more than anything, to run from the room and right into Inuyasha's loving embrace. But she knew that he was 500 years in the past, and did not know of her predicament. Finally, she steeled herself.

"Inuyasha and I are...mates. And...we're going to have a baby." _Oh Kami, did I say mates? Inuyasha must be rubbing off on me..._

Kagome expected her mother to scream and rage and yell at her for being so irresponsible, or look downcast and depressed, or anything but what her reaction was. Her mother scooted next to her on the bed and gave her a hug. Tears welled up in Kagome's eyes. "I'm sorry..." she whispered.

"Don't be," said her mother soothingly. "I knew a long time ago that you and Inuyasha would get together, one day. Now, it seems that day has come." She looked into Kagome's watery eyes. "When?"

"Just last night," whimpered Kagome. "Don't be upset, Mama...he loves me, so much...and I love him..."

  
"Kagome, sweetheart, I am not upset. I am happy for you. Inuyasha is the perfect husband for you. He protects you, he cares for you, he loves you. Don't cry." Kagome sniffled a little. "I don't know how Grandpa is going to take this..." Kagome managed to smile through her tears. "But he will come around. He loves you, Kagome, and he wants what's best for you. Just like I do. Just like your father did."

"Otouu?" whispered Kagome.

"Yes, Kagome. If he were...still alive..." Kagome's mother swallowed back the lump in her throat. "If he were here today...I know he would be happy too." Kagome held back her tears, hugged her mother one last time, and stood up.

"Thank you, Mama. This...this means a lot to me."

"Where is Inuyasha? Is he here with you?" Kagome shook her head.

"He stayed in the past. I needed some time to think." Kagome blinked a few times, trying to clear her mind. "Is Sota around?"

"He just came back from his friend's house. Think you should tell him?" Kagome smiled. She walked out of the room. Her mother heard her calling for Sota.

"My little girl," she murmured. "Not so little anymore...she's a woman now. How the years go by." She sighed, then started again with her laundry.

Kagome burst into Sota's room. He was organizing his Pokémon cards (A/N: Hee hee, Pokémon in Inuyasha's world!) but looked up at Kagome. He dropped his pack of cards and rushed toward her, brimming with questions like always.

"Kagomeeeee! Didja have fun? How come you were gone so long? Where's Inuyasha? Is he here? Didja fight any scary demons? Where's that other guy? What was his name? Are you leaving soon?" Kagome put a hand over his mouth to quiet him.

"Sota, I have some important news." She wasn't nearly as nervous, now that she had finally gotten it off her chest. Besides, telling her mother was one thing, but Sota was just a kid. "Inuyasha and I are...married. We're going to have a baby."

"COOOOOL!!!! Now he's my brother, right? When's the baby gonna be born? When did you get married? Is it gonna be a boy or a girl?" Kagome laughed.

"You ask too many questions, Sota. Yes, he's your brother. In about nine months. Just last night. I don't know whether it will be a boy or a girl," Kagome finished, rather breathlessly. "And yes, I'm excited about it. I love him..." She gave her brother a quick hug and ran back to her room. Her mother smiled at her and took the basket of clothes to her room to sort. Kagome flopped down on the bed. Her thoughts began to wander...

__

The cold river water flowing over my heated skin...his gentle growls sending vibrations through my body...his claws lightly sliding down my skin...gods, how I love him.

*RING!*

The telephone jolted her out of her thoughts. Her mother had left the portable phone in her room while folding the laundry, so Kagome picked it up.

"Hello?" she said.

"Kagome?" It was Tobias. He sounded very anxious about something.

"Tobias?" She sat up. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he said hurriedly. "I'm at Lasako's house. She's my girlfriend," he said before Kagome could even ask. "Remember when I said I'd be back in a few hours?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, there's been...a change of plans. I won't be back till tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?!" Kagome was outraged. How could he do this? She was planning to leave that night!

A very, very faint thud sounded over the phone, as though clothes had just been dropped to the floor. An audible gulp was heard, then Tobias added, "Afternoon."

"WHAT?!"

"Sorry-can't-talk-now-call-you-later-gotta-go-bye!" He said this all very fast and hung up. Incensed, Kagome called him back only to find his phone had been switched off.

"The jerk!" she raved. "I can't believe...why would he...argh!" She stood up and walked from the room. "Mama!" she called out. "I need some money to buy some supplies! And I need a ride to the city!"

An hour or so later; Kagome; laden with packages of ramen, medical supplies, and many other things; staggered to a taxicab. She loaded all her stuff inside and they sped off for home.

The driver glanced at her in the rearview mirror. "Where're ya headed, sweetie?" he grumbled through a mushy cigar.

__

Sweetie?! I'm glad Inuyasha isn't here...he'd rip this guy to pieces. She gave him her address.

"Got a lotta stuff there," the cabbie said gruffly. "What's it all fer?"

"Just...stocking up supplies," said Kagome, getting a little red. "In case...of an emergency."

The cabbie grunted and turned back to the road. A few minutes later, she was walking up the path to her front door, slightly dazed by the cab ride.

__

Am I imagining things, or did that guy go on the sidewalk more than the street? But I have to admit...he got me here in ten minutes. That's worth something. She burst in the door. "I'm home!" she announced.

After unloading all the stuff in her room, she tried calling Tobias again. His phone was still off. She sighed deeply. What was he DOING over there? _Wait...did he say he was at his girlfriend's house? Maybe..._ Kagome got in the shower absentmindedly and turned the water on. She yelped.

"AAGH! WHO TURNED THE WATER ALL THE WAY HOT?!" Twisting the knob, she adjusted the temperature to a more suitable level. She sighed as the water cascaded over her. _Inuyasha loves me...he's my mate...I love him...so much..._ She began to wash her hair.

The feel of Inuyasha's heated flesh pressed against hers. The taste of her tongue being in his mouth, and having his tongue in hers. The sheer sensation, flowing through her body like a tidal wave of pleasure as they...

A blast of cold water brought her sharply back to reality. Kagome hurriedly finished her shower and got her nightgown on. As she lay down into her bed, she could already feel herself drifting off to sleep. It had been a rough week. But even as she slept, her thoughts continually drifted back to Inuyasha...

__

I'm riding Inuyasha like I always do. I don't recognize the forest around me, but I'm not paying any attention to that; instead, I'm focused on the silver-haired hanyou I'm wrapped around.

I bring my hand up to massage his silken ear. His soft growl rumbles through his chest and sends delicious vibrations through mine. His clawed hand lightly grazes my inner thigh, and I gasp at the sensation, clamping my legs around his back tightly. Apparently, very tightly; as he gently pinches me, causing goosebumps to spring up all over my skin.

I grin evilly. So he wants to play, does he? I lower my mouth to his neck, pressing soft kisses into his neck and shoulder. I can feel him shudder beneath my touch.

Suddenly, he goes flying in a random direction. I'm startled for a moment, but he quickly grabs me and holds me over him. We land on his back, and laugh a little at the silliness of the situation.

All at once, our clothes are gone. How did that happen? The question loses importance in my mind as he hungrily presses his mouth to mine, devouring me. I'm drowning in passion, and melt into his loving embrace. My legs tangle with his, and my hands move up to sift into his long hair.

"Kagome..." he murmurs, breaking the kiss. I whine in disappointment, but the whine turns to a moan when he drags his slightly rough tongue across my collarbone.

"Kagome..." he says again, in my mother's voice.

My mother's voice??!!

"Kagome..." said her mother in a soothing voice. "Wake up. Your friend is here to see you."

__

Thanks a lot, Mama. That was one of the best dreams I've ever had. "All right," she mumbled, disentangling herself from the sheets. Kagome dressed quickly and went into the living room. Hojo was there, his usual "I'm-too-sexy-for-myself" expression plastered into a grin on his face.

"Hey, Kagome," he said in what he clearly thought was a jaunty, winning voice.

"Hojo?" said Kagome blearily, blinking sleep out of her eyes. "Why are you here so early?"

"Early?" Hojo's grin faltered. "It's 1:30 in the afternoon."

__

Agh! I must have REALLY overslept. "Oh, right...I was just taking a little nap. So what's up?"

The grin returned. "I was thinking we could go see a movie, maybe have lunch together today. You know, just you and me. What do you say?"

"Oh..." Kagome furiously thought for an excuse. "What movie were you thinking of?" she asked, stalling for time.

"_The Lights of Paris_. It's a very nice romance movie that just came out last week. And for lunch we could go to that French restaurant a few blocks down. It's called _The Lucky Fromage_ or something like that. What do you say?"

Kagome was about to answer when her mother cut in. "I don't think so, Kagome. Don't you remember? You have a doctor's appointment today."

Hojo's grin all but vanished. He took a step forward. "Really?" He sounded downcast. "Well...maybe some other time, then. I'll give you a call."

"Okay," said Kagome, willing herself to sound disappointed. She cast a quick glance at her mother, who returned it with a wink. "See you around, then." She gave him a quick hug, and he walked out the door. Kagome turned to her mother.

"Mama...why did you do that? I mean...it was what I was hoping for, but..."

"Well, I figured that with all this happening between you and Inuyasha, Hojo shouldn't try to win you over anymore. He's a nice boy but Inuyasha is perfect for you. Don't you agree?"

"Yes. Thanks, Mama." She hugged her mother. "You really got me out of that one."

"It was nothing, dear. I wouldn't want Inuyasha to get jealous, after all." Kagome smiled.

"Yeah...he sort of gets violent when he's jealous." She sat down on the couch. "Tobias should be coming over later today."

"Tobias is coming here?" A flicker passed over Kagome's mother's face. "When?"

"In a few hours. Don't worry about it, mama. He's kept me safe for all the time he's been with us." _I don't want to tell her about the whole heat thing yet...she might not approve of me going back to the Feudal Era! It wouldn't stop me, but Mama's support is the one thing that's kept me going all this time. And, of course, Inuyasha..._ Her mind began to wander again as she waited for Tobias to appear.

REVIEW...STORY...MUST...GET...REVIEWS...LIFE...DEPENDS...ON...IT...

Well, not really, but if I don't get enough reviews, I'll get depressed and won't write any more. And you wouldn't want that to happen. So REVIEW!

And to Kai19: I've given you a few 'shout-out's in the past, but this is for real. Whenever I post a new chapter, I actually look forward to seeing your review in the review page. You always have useful comments and suggestions for the story. Here's to you, Kai, and here's to many more reviews in the future!


	31. Not Again

WHOO-HAA! Time for another amazing installment of "The Other Swordsman!" In this thrilling chapter...aw, heck, I can't just tell you. Read it and find out. STOORRRRRYYYYYY!!!!

Chapter 31: Not Again

While Kagome lounged about in her time, Inuyasha was restless. He paced back and forth next to the well; stopping occasionally to throw a menacing glare at the bottom, as if daring Kagome to come through and see him like that.

"Where the hell is she?" he roared. "She said she needed time to think...I didn't think she needed a whole fucking day! She should be done by now!"

"Calm down, Inuyasha," said Miroku, trying to soothe the hanyou's temper. "She'll be back and you know it."

"Feh. I know it, but she's sure taking her sweet time about it." He resumed angrily pacing. _Kagome..._ he thought. _Why aren't you coming back? Will you?_

"New, Peter Pan Makeup!" chirped the ditzy blonde on the television. "Use Peter Pan before your pan peters out!" The picture shrank to a small white dot, then receded into nothingness.

Kagome put down the remote and went into the kitchen. "Where's Tobias?" she demanded loudly. "He said he would-"

*DING DONG*

"I'll get it!" She jogged over to the door and opened it to see Tobias standing on her doorstep.

He looked very bedraggled. His hair was mussed up, his clothes were wrinkled, and there were dark circles under his eyes. He walked in, walking just a bit bowlegged.

"Hey, Kagome," he said brightly. Despite his appearance, he seemed very cheerful. "So do you want to go?"

"What happened to you? You look rotten," said Kagome.

Tobias grinned. "Can't tell you the details, but suffice it to say I'm in a very good mood right now. I didn't get much sleep last night..." his grin grew wider, "I was otherwise occupied with Lasako." He glanced at his watch. "It's a little late to go now...we wouldn't get anything done tonight. It's already 8:36. Want to see a movie instead?"

"Umm..." Kagome thought. _I do want to see Inuyasha...but he has a point._ "You're right, Tobias. It's too late now. We'll go in the morning." _Besides, I'm still tired from the whole chase. Apparently, sleeping till 1:30 isn't long enough._

"There's a movie called _The Lights of Paris_ at the Googolplex..."

"No!" said Kagome hurriedly. Tobias looked puzzled. "Just...no. Is there anything else?"

"Well..." Tobias glanced around to see if anyone was watching. "_The Return of the Skeleton King_ is premiering tonight."

"Oh! I've wanted to see that one...where is it?"

"It's not at the Googolplex. It's at another theater I know downtown." He stood to one side, inviting her to leave. "Shall we? The next showing is in 30 minutes."

"Okay. Hold on a second." Kagome went back upstairs.

"Mama, I'm going to a movie with Tobias. We'll leave for the Feudal Era in the morning. Okay?"

"All right, dear. But won't Inuyasha be disappointed?"

Kagome looked to the side. "I still need to think about some things...I'm sure he'll understand."

"**WHERE THE FUCK IS SHE?!**" Inuyasha bellowed. "She all but said she was coming back YESTERDAY!!!"

Tobias and Kagome got out of the taxi. Tobias paid the driver, tipped him generously, and told him to wait outside until the movie was over. They walked into the building.

"Suckers..." muttered the cabbie as he sped off. "Ain't stayin' in this part o' town for any more than I hafta. It's dangerous 'round here." He drove away.

The movie was beginning. Tobias had a popcorn bucket the size of a bathtub, and a soda as big as a kitchen sink. Under the seat, he had a box of candy that could have served as a small coffin.

"I love the snacks at this place," remarked Tobias as the previews rolled. "Big sizes for a guy with a big appetite." Kagome, who had gotten more normal-sized munchies, looked around in evident approval. The walls were freshly painted, the seats were padded and actually reclined a bit, the projector never flickered. It was a very nice place...but the surrounding area was another story.

Condemned buildings, low-rent restaurants and shops, graffiti-covered walls, and shady-looking people littered the streets. She had seen at least one car up on blocks. Kagome turned to Tobias.

"Tobias? I don't like this neighborhood very much..." Tobias swallowed some popcorn and looked at her for a second. "How is it this place is so nice when the whole area is so...so ghetto?"

Tobias smiled. "Yeah, ghetto just about describes it. Did you notice how much things cost here? The tickets set me back twenty-five bucks each, and the bill for our snacks was one hundred thirty dollars." Kagome gaped.

"This is a high-rent kind of place. There's security who stop people from messing with it, and it only caters to the richer sort."

"Why would a place like this be in an area like that?" Kagome wondered. It seemed a difficult puzzle, but Tobias smiled again.

"Actually, I was the one who bankrolled this place into existence. See, a lot of my jobs take place down here, and I needed a place to sit back and relax after a hard day killing people. So I commissioned the theater. I love watching movies..."

Kagome stared at him. _He wants entertainment, so he builds an entire movie theater? He is RICH rich rich. And he has a lot of free time on his hands._ "You get bored easily, don't you."

Tobias almost choked with laughter through some gummy bears. "Yeah," he coughed. "That's about it. Shh, the movie's starting."

About three hours later, the movie was over. Kagome was falling asleep on Tobias's shoulder. He prodded her until her eyes opened.

"Kagome," he said softly. "The movie's over. It's time to go."

"Right," she said blearily. Shaking the sleep from her eyes, she followed Tobias out and onto the street.

Tobias threw up his hands in frustration. "Great. The cab's gone. And we'll never find another one at this hour." He glanced around. "Well, there's nothing for it. We'll have to walk."

"Walk?!" Kagome glared at him. "At this time of night, and in this area of town? You want to walk?"

"I don't see what the problem is, Kagome," he said calmly. "I mean, you have the most feared assassin in the country protecting you. What could possibly happen?" He paused. "Wait...saying that is a death wish, isn't it." Nothing happened.

"All right, then. Let's go."

***BANG!!***

A small, red hole appeared in Tobias's forehead and he dropped to the pavement. Kagome shrieked and ducked to see if he was hurt, but Tobias's strong arm reached out and yanked her down.

"The irony gods are laughing their asses off right now," he said through clenched teeth. "But it'll take more than one bullet to stop me." He grasped Kagome tightly in one arm, and with the other arm and both legs, propelled himself into the air. He landed on his feet and dashed into an alleyway.

Not the best idea, it transpired, as a mob of gunmen spotted them and opened fire.

"It's him!" they shouted to each other. "Kill him!"

__

Not my day... thought Tobias grimly. He twisted around, ducked behind a Dumpster, and leaped high into the air. He landed on the roof of a nearby building. A man stood up, he was holding what Tobias recognized as a sniper rifle. Shouting a guttural war cry, the man attempted to bring the rifle to bear. Tobias had his sword out and sliced through him in one swift movement.

__

Inuyasha... thought Kagome desperately. _Help me!_

Inuyasha had been pacing, still; when suddenly his ears shot up and he stared into the well. Miroku looked at him.

"Is something wrong, Inuyasha?" Inuyasha didn't seem to notice. All he knew, somehow, was that Kagome was in danger, and she needed him. _I'm coming, Kagome._ Without so much as an explanation, he barreled toward the well and leaped inside.

He clambered out, in modern times. He was frantically smelling, trying to locate Kagome through her scent, but it was all mixed up in everyone else's. _Think, goddammit, think! She's got to be around here somewhere!_

Tobias twirled desperately, searching for would-be assassins to flee from or neutralize. Another man, standing a few roofs away, brought a rocket launcher into firing position. A blast of flames curled out of the butt end as a rocket roared towards Tobias and Kagome.

"Shit!" Tobias yelped as he twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the rocket. It hit a brick chimney on the next roof over and exploded into flames, the shockwave tossing Tobias off the roof.

A burst of fire and a loud noise to the southwest immediately caught Inuyasha's attention. Somehow, in some way, he knew that Kagome was there. It was as if there was a bond between them. He raced off in that direction.

Something flickered in Kagome's mind. She couldn't explain it; it just seemed like Inuyasha had just arrived and was coming to protect her. It was as if she had a sixth sense.

"Tobias!" she shouted over the din. "Inuyasha's coming!"

"How do you know?" he roared. Tobias dashed across an alley. More assassins cut loose with automatic weapons as they ran through. Bullets bounced off of Tobias's armor, and one or two drove themselves into his flesh; but none touched Kagome. They sped into a mercifully vacant side street and lay still.

"I don't know...I just know somehow."

"Well, I hope you're right, because I need all the help I can get," Tobias snarled. He gripped his sword tightly in one hand and Kagome in the other arm. "I get attacked a lot, because I put most other assassins out of a job, but never this organized or this many people before." He ducked as a fusillade of bullets streamed his way. He picked Kagome up and ran again.

"It's like they have an entire army," Tobias panted. He zigzagged across the streets and alleys, avoiding assassins the whole way. "But they're not after you...they're after me. We need to get you to safety..." More men appeared at the end of the alleyway they were in. Tobias dropped Kagome behind a Dumpster. With a roar, he charged the men and sliced them to bits.

Kagome tried to slow her breathing. Suddenly, a large and hairy man appeared behind her and picked her up. She shrieked as he held a pistol to her head.

"Give up, Tobias," he growled, "or she dies."

OHH NOOOO! Kagome's being used as bait! WHAT WILL TOBIAS DO?? (What do you think?) REVIEW!

As a side note, anyone remember Marcus, the arrogant prince from a few chapters ago? He HAS been mentioned in this story before...try Chapter 17 to look for him.


	32. Reinforcements Are En Route

Hey everybody. I just had a real ass of a day, and at the bottom I'll tell you why. But for now...READ THE BLINKIN' STORY!

Chapter 32: Reinforcements Are En Route

Inuyasha barreled down the dimly lit streets of downtown Tokyo, barely noticing the shocked glances of the few pedestrians still out. All that mattered to him was that Kagome was in trouble, and he needed to get her out of it. He quickened his pace.

Tobias slowly lowered his sword. "Calm down," he said in a placating voice. "It isn't her you want...it's me."

"Yeah," said the man in a grizzled voice. "But we can use her to get to you." He jerked her roughly. Kagome screamed. The man held his hand over her mouth as he spoke.

"Now, put down that sword, and we'll let her live." Tobias's eyes widened. Kagome looked at him, terrified. _Don't do it, Tobias!_ she silently screamed. _If you do, he'll kill us both!_

"You wouldn't harm a defenseless girl, would you?" said Tobias soothingly. He was obviously stalling for time.

"You think I wouldn't?" roared the man, jamming the gun against Kagome's head.

"Well, you might not. If you have a decent bone in your body..." Tobias took a step forward.

"Don't come any closer!" yelled the man. Tobias stopped. "I know your secret," continued the man, in a quieter voice. "I know the source of your power. It's that sword." Tobias visibly flinched. "So here's what I want you to do. Hand me that sword, and I'll let her live."

"I doubt it," countered Tobias. "You'll probably kill both of us and all your buddies once you get your hands on this." The man's henchmen seemed to realize this. Some backed away, some approached.

"Hey, Boss, he's right!" "You wouldn't hurt us...would you?" "You'd protect us! Right?!"

"SHUT UP!" bellowed the man. "You've got five seconds to give up that sword or the girl dies. One...TWO..."

Tobias was panicked. But suddenly, a flash of red caught his eye. He glanced upward and saw Inuyasha on top of the next building. Tobias grinned. Perhaps this would work after all.

Inuyasha leaped onto a building. Was this...yes! Kagome was down there...a man was holding her with a – what was it? a gun? – next to her head. He was confused for a second. _Wait...that's the same thing Tobias got hit with – and the same thing he shot me with! Kagome won't survive that...I have to help her! And kill the bastard who put his hands on MY mate!_ He leaped down.

"Here you go," Tobias said, almost cheerfully. He unsheathed his sword and tossed it in the air towards them.

To Kagome, the next few seconds seemed to go in slow motion. Everything was happening at once.

- Tobias's sword floating through the air -

- The man tossing her aside and lunging for the sword -

- A blur of red flashing from the sky...Inuyasha? -

- "_Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!!_"

The man was torn to pieces. Tobias bolted and ran for the still-airborne sword, grasping it in the tips of his fingers. The machine-gunners were confused. Who was this new threat? They opened fire on the entire alleyway. Kagome spun to one side and ducked behind a streetlight as bullets peppered the walls around her.

With a roar, Inuyasha pitched into the assassins, ripping them to shreds with his claws and his brute strength. Tobias sliced up two snipers and yanked Inuyasha to one side. He grabbed Kagome with his other arm and pulled the two into a condemned building, away from the battle.

"Listen. They aren't after you two, they're after me. I can hold them off. Inuyasha, I need you to protect Kagome and get her back to the well. Can you make it?" Inuyasha nodded and gripped Kagome, very possessively. "Good. Now go! Run!"

The men gathered outside the door. "Come out of there, Tobias!" one of them barked.

The rusty iron door burst off its hinges and took out one of the men. Before the rest could recover, Tobias barreled out and cut three of them down with one swift stroke. He hissed in pain as an armor-piercing bullet shot through his shoulder, then returned the favor with the taste of his sword.

Inuyasha, holding Kagome, stepped out of the door and ran. He ran, dodging bullets and evading astonished pursuers. A gunner opened fire at them, and Inuyasha howled as bullets ripped through his flesh. He stumbled, but managed to hold Kagome as they rolled into an alley.

"Inuyasha," whispered Kagome. "There's so many of them..."

"Don't worry, mate," growled Inuyasha. "I'll keep you safe. Besides, these are just humans. We take on this many demons every week in Sengoku Jidai, remember? And don't worry about Tobias. He can take care of himself."

Moments later, Tobias came flying in and smashed into the brick wall, sending bits of brick and mortar everywhere. He quickly recollected himself and turned to the other two.

"They've got us surrounded," he hissed. "There's no choice. We'll have to fight our way out." Kagome trembled. "Don't be upset. We can do this, if we just stick together. Inuyasha? Protect Kagome, at all costs. Kagome, see if you can find a safe place to hide. I started this, but we can finish it." Bullets chewed through the bricks in the wall above them. "Ready?"

Inuyasha was suddenly struck by the look on Tobias's face. There was no hint of fear, or doubt, or anxiety. Here was a man who was going to war and was prepared to win. Nothing showed but grim determination. "Ready??" Tobias's voice broke his thoughts.

"GO!" roared Inuyasha. The two of them rushed out and ran smack into a pack of machine-gunners. Before they could squeeze off a single shot, the twin swordsmen were upon them, slashing them to ribbons.

Kagome leaped up and ran, nearly tripping over a startled-looking man who emerged from the shadows. He was in a black trenchcoat and carried a long, white knife. Kagome paid him little attention as she dashed from alcove to alcove, desperately seeking for the safety that could not be had in this chaos. She turned a corner and almost collided with Inuyasha, who was ripping a pack of swordsmen to shreds.

At the far end of the alley, three more men spotted them and let loose with their machine guns. Kagome shrieked and flung her arms over her face to protect herself.

As much to her surprise as anybody's, a translucent blue shield materialized in front of her. The bullets bounced off with as much effect as ping-pong balls. Stunned, the men had only a second to react before Inuyasha leaped at them. Kagome chose to go in the opposite direction. _Inuyasha or Tobias could keep me safer..._ she thought as she dashed blindly, _...but they attract assassins by the dozens, and I don't, so I'm better off just running._

Tobias confronted a squad of rocket launchers. Boggled, some of the men spun heavily in his direction and sent missiles roaring down the path towards him.

Time seemed to slow down as Tobias twisted in midair to compensate. The rockets flew past him at a snail's pace. The rippling heat waves in the air still distorted his vision as he caromed off the side of a building and dived at the squad. His sword techniques made quick work of them.

Far away, on the other side of town, the General stood in a condemned building. He stared into his sword and almost smiled at the antics he saw.

"Amazing," he said in his regular monotone. "That it would be so easy to do such a thing. A rumor here, a whisper there, some information doled out from the shadows, and the entire population of lowlifes and scoundrels is up in arms. All they needed to hear was that Tobias was in town, and they assembled in such a pattern. Sometimes I even amaze myself."

His eyebrows twitched downwards. "Wait...it would not do to get conceited. Many things could happen between now and then. I shall not get caught up in the moment, but see how my plan turns out.

"And for once, that idiot Naraku is not breathing down my neck about his jewel shards or what have you. Doing things alone is always much easier...the years have taught me that much." He regained his normal blank expression. "But he shall miss me, and it will take much effort for me to get him to forgive me, so I must leave." He sheathed his sword. "Things will happen as they happen. Observing will not change a thing. If he comes back, then I will know my plan has failed. If he does not, then I will slay Naraku, collect the jewel shards, and..." He trailed off and walked away.

Naraku raged, stormed, threw things. "The insubordinate weakling!!" he howled. "He _leaves_...without permission? He will not be able to 'My liege' his way out of this one! When I find him again, I will make sure he understands his place!"

By sheer coincidence; Kagome, Inuyasha, and Tobias all ran into the same alley. Kagome managed to stop in time, Tobias and Inuyasha collided with a thump. Dazed, Tobias staggered backwards until he hit the wall.

"Where the hell have you been?" he gasped. "I've been shot at least five times-"

***BANG!***

Tobias's head snapped back as another bullet hit him in the skull. Shaking his head violently, Tobias ducked down and continued in a low whisper.

"Six times," he growled. "And people have been shooting rockets everywhere. Splitting up isn't working. We need to break the siege together. Ready?"

Again Inuyasha was struck by Tobias's expression. He was desperate, bordering on insanity; but he had a plan and he needed to win. Kagome clambered onto Inuyasha's back.

"GO!" roared Tobias. The three of them sprang from the shadows and blazed past rows of machine-gunners. Tobias sideswiped a group with his sword, without even slowing down. They ran, guns blazing from all sides, death closing in, but they ran!

Inuyasha failed to notice the man with a rocket launcher standing on the other side of the street. With impeccable timing, the man fired his shell. The rocket streaked across the dark night and slammed into the wall just in front of Inuyasha.

The blast knocked Inuyasha off his feet and sent Kagome flying. Inuyasha stagger-tripped and toppled. Snarling, he was about to get up, when a bullet pierced his skull and he fell, unconscious.

Tobias skidded to a halt when he felt the explosion behind him. He spun, searching frantically for Inuyasha and Kagome. _Where are those two, goddammit?!_ His attention, however, was soon diverted. Bullets pinged off his armor as he did an about-face to stare down his opponents.

He let out a groan of despair. He had unwittingly led them into the main thoroughfare, and hundreds of assassins swarmed the street in front of them. They had outpaced them, but they were following at an incredible rate.

Shocked, Tobias could only stare dumbly at the oncoming crowds. He didn't even dodge the missile that was flying right towards him. It slammed into him with the force of a tank shell, and all was fire and death.

Kagome saw none of this. After picking herself up from the rubble, all she could do was run blindly in the direction they had been going. _Safety,_ she thought desperately. _If I can get to Inuyasha, then I'll be-_

***BANG!***

Kagome felt a crushing pain, like someone had hit her with a sledgehammer. She spun with the force of the blow and knocked her head against a wall. She had only one last thought before blackness crept in.

__

Bullets hurt a hell of a lot more than I thought they would.

*

*

*

I just got back from band practice. I play the tuba, see, and I'm marching in formation for two and a half hours. Normally, this is hard but bearable, me being a 104-lb. weakling and all. However...

Today, one of my fellow tuba players (who I shall call John for purposes of anonymity) was really griping at everyone and everything. You know. Being a real bastard. So at the end of practice, partly because of this and partly because the tuba section was goofing off, our section leader (who I shall call Jack) demanded we do a Jay lap. For those not in the know, a Jay lap is a lap around the football field with 15 pushups at every corner. It might not sound that bad, but after you've been marching with a 40-lb. tuba for over two hours; it's a little strenuous.

By the way, I haven't even mentioned the bad part yet.

The bad part is this. Jack (at 6' 3", a real brute of a guy) is barking at us to RUN, PUT OUR REARS IN GEAR. So we run. All except John. His feet were barely leaving the ground and he called it running. So Jack goes up and chews him out. John returns with a volley of insults.

BIG MISTAKE.

Now we must do 30 pushups at every corner, wait an additional 20 minutes after practice to wait for John to catch up to us at the corners, and maintain pushup position (while our arms go numb) while Jack yells at John for not doing pushups right and for mouthing off. Two of the bigger guys in the tuba section were waiting for John as he left. I don't know what they did and I don't want to know. But I have been assured that he is getting his just desserts.

Saying all that makes me feel better. And I hope John isn't reading this, or I'll get the ass beaten out of me next rehearsal.

So...REVIEW! REVIEW, I COMMAND THEE! BOW AND WORSHIP THE ALMIGHTY WRITER! I ALONE CAN SUPPLY YOU WITH MORE STORY GOODNESS! **HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!** Ergh...mad with power...just disregard all that and review. 

And to cinnamin girl: Think about it. The purpose of 'heat' in any animal is to alert the male that the female is most fertile, so now would be a good time to mate to ensure conception. So, chew on that while you read the story, and it'll make more sense. Toodles!


	33. Cleanup In Aisle Five

Hi. I write this story just minutes before I must go to school, so I may not put as much thought into the opening and closing remarks as I usually do, it being 6:30 and all. So, without further banter, here is the story.

Chapter 33: Cleanup In Aisle Five

A ripple of laughter went through the crowd of killers.

"That was easy," someone shouted. "All we have to do is shoot him once and he's gone?"

"Some feared assassin," another man broke in. "What a wimp." These jeering assassins failed to notice the building where Tobias once stood. The fire from the missile's explosion was still raging, hot sheets of flame licking up six, almost seven feet in the air. A few people near the front noticed this.

"Hey, what's with the fire?" Before anyone could answer, it happened.

***FOOOOOM!!***

The fire burst forth. It quickly blossomed into a towering inferno, at least twenty feet high and hotter than a blast furnace. It spread with such speed that it engulfed a few people who were standing too close. Their shrieks and cries were unnoticed by the crowd, who was backing up quickly and with fear.

Tobias stormed out of the raging flames. There was murder in his eyes. His sword was glowing as bright as the fire around him. He did not say a word, but instead raised his sword in front of him.

One sniper – just one – from a nearby rooftop got tone before the others, and fired off a shot. It was fantastically precise, aiming straight into Tobias's head. But it never reached it.

As soon as the bullet came within five feet of him, it seemed to haze and warp, as if distorted by heat waves. It bubbled, melted, and flash-evaporated with a puff of smoke. Terrified, the rest started shooting at him too. Their bullets never even came close, vanishing into clouds of metal vapor before their eyes. Tobias's head flicked to the side.

He saw Inuyasha lying in the alley.

He saw Kagome in a pool of blood.

"Attack me if you will," he said in a sepulchrally deep voice. "But you harmed my friends...and for that...you will all die." He gripped his sword with his other hand and brought it behind his head, holding it like one would a baseball bat about to swing. Then he spoke again, and once more his words seemed to echo around like he had shouted them. They were horribly quiet and held such untempered rage that it made a man cringe to hear them.

"**Blade...**" The assassins panicked. What was he doing?

"**Of...**" A few tried to run, but it was far beyond the time for that. There was no escape now.

"**_DEATH!!_**"

Not even the dust remained.

__

Pain! Inuyasha's eyes shot open, only to wake up to a horrible pulsating pain in his forehead. He shook his head a little, but that only made it worse. He sighed. What had caused this? His memory was in fragments right now, if only he could...say, what was he doing in Kagome's time?

Inuyasha's ears snapped to attention as he recalled the events that had led him here. He jerked his head left, grimacing at the barbed spikes of pain that drove into his skull; and saw Tobias, bloodied but alive, sitting against a ruined wall.

"Tobias?" he said. His voice was hoarse. Inuyasha coughed and spat, and tried again. "Tobias?" That was better. Tobias's head drifted in his direction.

"The _Blade of Death_," said Tobias feebly. "Gets them every time. Don't worry about me...where's Kagome?" Inuyasha leaped to his feet. His eyes darted around. All he could see was destruction, blood, a few mangled corpses, Kagome, a broken – Kagome???

Inuyasha bolted over to Kagome and reeled with what he saw. Kagome was still, unmoving. A pool of blood trickled from a hole just below her rib cage. He gently put a hand to Kagome's throat and felt for a pulse. It was weak, but it was there. She was alive! But she was dying...how to get her better?

Inuyasha turned and ran to Tobias. "Give me your sword," he said hurriedly.

Tobias looked at him with baleful eyes. "What?" he said blankly.

"Give me the goddamn sword! Kagome's been hurt and I need your sword's healing to get her better!" To Inuyasha's rage and frustration, Tobias shook his head slightly.

"No? NO?! _WHY THE FUCK NOT??!!_ Kagome's dying over there, and you say NO?" Tobias pulled himself into a better position.

"You have to understand, Inuyasha," he said quietly. "The combination of my wounds and the massive energy drain from my _Blade of Death_ has left me in a very tenuous state. If I were to-"

"To hell with your fucking 'tenuous state'!" Inuyasha was screaming at him now. "The healing powers of that sword might be the only thing that could keep Kagome alive! It's her best chance to live, and you can just take your 'tenuous state' and shove it RIGHT up your ass!"

"Inuyasha!" Tobias angrily broke in. This one outburst seemed to cost him dearly, and he slumped against the wall. "What I'm saying is, if I let go of this sword, the wounds will overcome me and _I will die_." Inuyasha stopped.

"But..." he said weakly. "Wha...what am I supposed to do?" _I can't just leave Tobias to die, but I can't let Kagome get any worse! Goddammit, why is everything happening now?!_

Tobias fixed him with an even glare. "You're a demon," he croaked. "You can heal from such things in the blink of an eye. Figure it out."

"I'm a demon, but she ISN'T! How will my being a hanyou help KAGOME?!"

"Isn't there a way for you to give her some of your energy? Or something?" said Tobias tiredly. His strength was failing. As he had slipped through the blundering masses of guards during the battle, so was his consciousness slipping from him now.

Inuyasha stopped again. _Wait...maybe there is a way..._ Without a word, he left and ran back to Kagome. Inuyasha tenderly gathered her into his arms and ran as fast as his feet could take him.

Tobias watched them leave. He groped in his pockets for his pack of cigarettes. He pulled out a cigarette, but noted to his dismay that his lighter had been broken to pieces. With a small smile, he pressed the end of the cigarette to the still faintly glowing sword. It ignited, and he drew in a deep drag. He needed to calm down a bit.

Inuyasha burst through the door to Kagome's house, carrying Kagome in his arms. Her mother jumped slightly at the sudden entrance and turned around.

"Inuyasha, I – Kagome? What's wrong with her? Is she all right?!" She looked panic-stricken.

"She got hurt," said Inuyasha simply. "I can handle this." Ignoring Kagome's mother's words of protest, he walked up the stairs and into Kagome's room. He laid her gently on the bed.

She was still bleeding. Her skin was turning sallow, and he shivered at the sickly hue. _There's only one thing for me to do...**please** don't let her wake up while I'm doing this._ He took off her shirt, hastily placing it over her barely covered breasts so as to avoid temptation. Inuyasha lowered his head to the bullet wound; and, making sure not to wake her, ran his tongue lightly over her skin.

Kagome jerked a little, but Inuyasha's hands held her firmly in place. He took slow, languid licks over the wounded area. Already the blood flow was slowing, the saliva forming a natural coagulant. _It's working,_ he thought, and grinned to himself. He lowered his lips to her flesh and began gently sucking out the blood. Kagome's eyes fluttered and small, incoherent noises began rising from the back of her throat.

Her eyes opened halfway, but they were glazed over and unseeing. Inuyasha continued licking her wound, hoping with all his heart that he would finish before she awoke. _After all that's happened, I don't want her to wake up and see me licking her. What will she think?_

Her body began to tremble. Unknowingly, she arched her back, bringing her flesh closer to Inuyasha. He gasped a little at her rapidly warming body pressed against him, but continued with his gentle ministrations. Inuyasha desperately tried to ignore the desire awakening in his blood. _Focus, dammit! Kagome needs you!_ A glimmer was beginning to show in her eyes. Though Inuyasha didn't know it, she was waking up.

Kagome blinked once and regained consciousness. She almost cried out at the pain she felt shooting through her torso, but was much more interested in the glowing warmth spreading through the area, lessening the pain. Her eyes flicked down and saw Inuyasha licking at her wound. _What's he...is he...what's going on? Did I...did I get **shot**?!_ She tried to move, but Inuyasha held her firmly in his grip. Looking at him again, he obviously didn't know she was awake.

The area where Inuyasha was licking her ceased hurting. Now only a pleasurable tingling feeling rippled through her body with every caress of his tongue, leaving her undeniably turned on from the encounter. She was very warm now, and her breathing became labored as passion crept through her veins. This was the second time he had pulled her from pain and darkness, the second time he had rescued her from the gloom. _I...love him...so much..._

She wanted so much to touch him, to kiss him, to love him; but he was pinning her to the bed. Kagome needed a way to signal she was awake. She grinned inwardly as she thought of an idea. _THIS will get his attention._ She closed her eyes and writhed around. Inuyasha stopped, puzzled. What was going on? He moved up her body, leaning near her face to check for any signs of consciousness. In doing so, he loosened his hold on her. The time was ripe!

Kagome's eyes shot open. Her legs – which Inuyasha had NOT been holding down – spread and locked around his waist to pull him closer to her. She yanked her wrists out of his shocked grasp, grabbed his shoulders, pulled him close, and kissed him with a vengeance.

Inuyasha was in a state of minor shock. Kagome went from dying to..._this_...in just a few minutes? Every time he tried to collect his thoughts, they scattered in favor of focusing on her sweet taste, or the exquisite feel of her body pressed against his, or the passion-filled gaze she gave him. His arms encircled her slim body to get her even closer to him. He was lying in a rather awkward position, with his legs on the floor and his body on the bed; so he gave a quick hop and hey presto, he was on the bed and on Kagome.

"You saved me...again..." she whispered into his ear. Her hot breath rolled over the furry ear, making Inuyasha shiver. "I...love you..."

"I love you too...mate..." Kagome's legs had relaxed their grip. Inuyasha took advantage of this and entangled his legs with hers, pressing them together in a way that made them both gasp.

"What happened?" said Kagome breathily. Inuyasha sighed. This was going to take some explanation, which would require at least some of his attention, which would require diverting it from his mate whom he was currently wrapped around.

"We were in a big fight. There were guys with...guns...everywhere. You got lost, and I got hit a lot and blacked out. When I woke up, all the guys with guns were gone and Tobias couldn't even stand up." Kagome looked slightly alarmed. "Don't worry...he used _Blade of Death_, I think, and killed all the guys. But it took all his energy. He'll be okay in a few minutes." _Not sure, but I'm not about to leave Kagome now!_

"Then, I brought you back here, and...ah..." Kagome had just run his nails up his back. "Mate...do you want to hear the story?" he panted. She smiled mischievously. "So I brought you back here, and I...cleaned your wound...and, well...here we are." Irritated at his long (to him, anyway) separation from Kagome, he dived down and assaulted her lips with his own. His probing tongue made all the breath rush out of Kagome's lungs in a whoosh. _I think..._ thought Kagome. _I think...I'm ready again..._

"Good," Kagome said heatedly. "Inuyasha...will you..."

"Yes, mate?" he breathed. His instincts were rising up, and an intoxicating scent emanating from Kagome told him all too well that she was *ahem* happy to see him.

"Will you..." Kagome moaned as his hot mouth hit a sensitive spot at the junction of her neck and shoulder. Her words were lost, but a quick thrust of her hips up to his told him all he needed to know.

"You want to...mate?" he whispered. Kagome nodded breathlessly. "You're still hurt..."

"Then make me forget the pain," she said. She was lying, it didn't hurt anymore, but she needed to say SOMETHING to get him going.

"You're sure about this?" he asked anxiously. She nodded. "Of course...Kagome...I love you..."

"I love you too..." she said quietly as Inuyasha hurriedly removed his shirt.

About an hour later, the door banged open. Tobias walked inside, looking very battered but at least mobile.

"I'm out of cigarettes and I feel like a herd of elephants decided to do the Stomp right on top of me," he mumbled. "Life is great." He staggered upstairs, only to find Kagome's door closed. He banged on it irritably.

"Hey!" he said loudly. "I'm back...does anyone care?" he added in an undertone. The door remained shut.

"Hello in there...come on! Answer the blinkin' door! I'll catch my death of cold out here!" Tobias yelled. There was some thumping noises, a few rustling sounds (kind of like clothes), and finally Inuyasha popped his head out of the door.

"_What_?" he snarled venomously.

"I'm back," said Tobias impassively. "And I'm dead on my feet. Any chance of a bed to lie on or something?" Inuyasha was about to explain to him the true meaning of 'dead on my feet' (complete with demonstration) when Kagome's voice floated out.

"Tobias? Is that you?" Glaring, Inuyasha opened the door. Tobias came in and sank onto the bed. He was amazed at Kagome's condition; humans just didn't heal that fast.

"My, you're looking sprightly for one who just took a bullet to the chest," Tobias remarked. "What happened?" Kagome blushed a little, but Inuyasha spoke up.

"Remember you said something about sharing my energy?" Tobias nodded. "Well...the saliva of inuyoukai has healing powers, so..." Tobias looked amused.

"You licked her wound? That's funny. And she didn't mind?" They looked at each other for a second.

"No..." said Kagome, fighting to keep the blush from her cheeks, "I didn't mind. In fact...you might say it was a healing experience." Inuyasha smirked. _She's smart, and funny, and beautiful...I'm so proud to have her as my mate._ But he remained silent.

"Excellent," groaned Tobias. "Now, I'm going to be a little while, having been shot fifteen thousand times and all, so you two just run along and I'll be with you shortly." They were only too happy to give him his privacy. The door slammed shut.

"What a night..." said Tobias as he stared at the ceiling. "And the sun hasn't even risen yet. What a fucking rotten night."

So our favorite couple got together again. And Tobias still doesn't know! Hey...I'm not precisely sure, but did I overstep the rating for this last chapter? If I have, I'm counting on either one of my legions of fans or the kind folks at FF.net to enlighten me (WITHOUT taking my story down, dammit). So bla bla bla, review.


	34. Clash Of The Titans

New chapter alert! This one's my longest ever at just over **_11 pages!!_** Someone complained about my chapters being too short, so I merged this and the next one together. Enjoy!

Oh, and a word of warning. This chapter doesn't end too well, so just keep reading the story and everything will work out.

Chapter 34: Clash Of The Titans

"What a rotten night." Tobias's voice floated from the crack between the door and the wall, only to be caught by Inuyasha's sensitive ears. He smirked. _I don't know about you, but I had a terrific night,_ he thought. He turned to Kagome as they walked into the living room.

"Kagome..." he began. "Mate...I have a question."

"What?" Kagome got out a bag of chips and a big bowl to put them in. "What is it?"

"About our...mating, just now. Why did you..."

"Why was I so quick to?" Inuyasha nodded. She smiled. "I've been thinking about you ever since we left." Inuyasha's smirk grew bigger. _She_ was fantasizing about _him_? That was a change, to be sure. "I've never felt this way before...and we'd been apart for too long. I...I wanted to feel you again." Inuyasha's smirk grew so wide it was having trouble staying on his face.

Before Inuyasha had a chance to say anything, a series of thumps emanated from the hallway, before ending in a crash at the foot of the stairs. Tobias sat up, looking dazed.

"What idiot put stairs at the end of the hallway?" he croaked. Inuyasha roared with laughter as he pulled himself into a standing position. "Yeah, laugh it up. Next time I'll shoot you ten million times and see how graceful you are."

"SIT!"

Thump.

"OW!"

Grumbling, Inuyasha waited for the spell to release him as Kagome helped Tobias into a chair. Kagome began to move her lips. To Tobias, it looked like she was just mouthing things. But Inuyasha's keen ears caught every word she whispered.

"_I know you can hear me, Inuyasha. Just because we're mates doesn't mean I'll let you get away with mean things like that! And it doesn't mean I'll never sit you again!_" Tobias stared at her.

"Are you saying something...?"

Kagome blinked. "No, nothing. Just talking to myself." She turned to Tobias. "We've been here for a lot longer than I thought...when will you be ready to go back to the past?"

"Hm?" Tobias stirred. "I think by morning, I should be fine." He stood up, wobbled a little, then steadied himself. "I came down because I'm starving to death."

"Didn't you eat like a hundred pounds of popcorn and junk at the movies a few hours ago?" said Kagome, puzzled.

Tobias gave her an even look. "Don't you think that running around, energy drain, and blood loss would tend to make a person hungry?"

"I guess you're right..." murmured Kagome. She headed for the fridge, but before she could get there Kagome's mother walked in. She was in a robe and had a cup of coffee. She gasped as she looked at Tobias.

"What happened?" she said breathlessly.

"Let's see..." Tobias began tallying off on his fingers. "Thirty-seven machine gun bullets, fifty-two handgun bullets, eight armor-piercing sniper rounds, seventy-six assorted sword and knife wounds, massive energy draining, and the fire and shrapnel of a shoulder-mounted Stinger missile." He turned to her. "I think that does it," he said dryly.

Kagome's mother sat down heavily. She clasped a hand to her forehead. "And you're still alive...?" she whispered. Inuyasha, she knew, could take this kind of punishment, but Tobias was a human! At least, she thought he was...

"I'm a tough old sea dog," Tobias remarked. "Any chance of some grub?"

"It's 2:00 in the morning," said Kagome's mother, stifling a yawn. "You want to eat now?"

"Fair." Tobias stood up and walked slowly up the stairs. "I guess I'm in Sota's room, then," he said as he vanished upstairs. "Try not to kill each other."

Kagome's mother turned to Kagome. She was puzzled. "Doesn't he know-"

"No, Mama, he doesn't know. And we'd like to keep it that way. It's complicated," Kagome offered when her mother looked even more confused. "Some stuff happened, and...well, I'll tell you later."

"Kagome," said Inuyasha. "I think I'd better stick with you tonight. You might still be hurt, and..."

"Inuyasha, I'm fine, and you know that!"

"Mate," said Inuyasha with an edge to his voice. Kagome glared at him, but looking revealed a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "I'm not taking any chances. I can't have you hurt while we're supposed to be looking for the shards." _Play along,_ he silently implored her.

"All right, Inuyasha. Geez, you're so overprotective sometimes," said Kagome, flouncing out of her chair and stomping towards the stairs. She gasped in surprise when Inuyasha's clawed hands caught her from behind and gently lifted her up.

"I said I'm not taking any chances. You got hit with a...gun...I think...and it did a lot of damage. Rest tonight. Tomorrow we'll leave." Inuyasha held her bridal-style as he went up the stairs.

Kagome's mother shook her head. "Those two," she said quietly. "Just how gullible do they think I am?"

Inuyasha heard this but chose not to tell Kagome. As soon as they were out of her mother's sight, Inuyasha leaned down and kissed Kagome hungrily. Her arms flew around his neck, and he lifted her closer to him. He almost tripped on the final stair, his concentration being elsewhere. He pushed open the door and laid Kagome on the bed.

"I want you again, mate," he whispered in her ear, sending electric thrills down her spine. He started to climb on top of her, but Kagome gently stopped him.

"Inuyasha, Mama was right. We really do need to rest." Inuyasha looked disappointed. "Later, mate. I promise." Her own eyes twinkled. Inuyasha grinned.

"All right, mate. But I will hold you to that," said Inuyasha, holding her to him just to prove his point. They held each other in their arms and in their hearts as they drifted off to sleep.

In the morning, as predicted, Tobias was healed perfectly. They all sat down to breakfast, having agreed to leave right afterward.

"I swear, I don't know why I hang around you two," said Tobias. "I've had more near-death experiences in the last few months with you and him than in the last thousand-" He abruptly stopped and looked down.

"Last thousand what?" Kagome asked.

"Nothing. I must have misspoken. Say, this is really good." Tobias shoveled another forkful of eggs into his mouth. "I'm hungry, but...I'm not THAT hungry," he said, indicating Inuyasha. As much as Tobias was eating, Inuyasha beat him by twelve platefuls.

Breakfast was over, goodbyes were made, stuff packed up, and eventually the three of them were gathered near the well.

"Ladies first," said Tobias, sinking into a ridiculously exaggerated bow. Kagome giggled a little as she hopped into the well. Inuyasha grinned evilly. Kagome was gone, so...the time was ripe. While Tobias was still bowing, Inuyasha reached behind him and gave him a hard shove. Cursing, Tobias tumbled into the well. Inuyasha smirked as he jumped into the well.

They all arrived at the bottom of the well together. Tobias surreptitiously elbowed Inuyasha in the stomach as he climbed out. His head poked above.

Whereupon a large, heavy object nearly knocked it right off. Tobias cursed again as he plummeted, very nearly flattening Inuyasha. Growling, Inuyasha threw off Tobias and leaped to the brim of the well to see what had happened.

At the base of the Goshinboku, dazed but whole, lay Miroku. He blinked and tried to collect his thoughts as he staggered to a standing position. In a flash, all three were at the top of the well. Inuyasha ran over.

"What the hell happened?" he demanded. Miroku only had one word.

"Naraku."

Tobias's eyebrows raised and he immediately pulled out his sword. Inuyasha similarly unsheathed Tetsusaiga with a flourish.

"Where?" growled Inuyasha. Miroku wordlessly pointed. Not too far away, in the distance, was the familiar baboon-skin hanyou dodging Sango's Hiraikotsu. Inuyasha let out a feral roar as he charged Naraku. Naraku turned, obviously surprised, but unafraid. His magical barrier reverberated with a deep ring, as if Inuyasha had struck a gong, but it made no impact on Naraku himself. Naraku flung off his baboon-skin. Now, instead of two weak humans, he faced two supremely powerful opponents and three others to boot. And he was alone.

__

This is not good, Naraku thought. _My general has deserted me and now all my foes attack at once. No matter!_ He straightened up. _I do not need help. I will destroy all of these humans, kill Inuyasha, and finally become a full demon. I am Naraku! I am invincible! And I will not lose!_ His confidence thus bolstered, he turned to the others.

"These reinforcements mean nothing," he said tonelessly. "I can defeat you all with hardly any effort...at least now I will have some fun in the doing." Inuyasha growled. Tobias glared. Both of them readied their swords. Naraku smiled evilly.

He reached behind his back; and from a shoulder harness, pulled out a sword of his own. It was jet black; curved, misshapen, and yet glittered with power.

"I shall enjoy finally killing you," he spat. Both Inuyasha and Tobias lunged at him, only to bounce off the barrier and be flung, dazed, to the ground. They leaped up, and Tobias leaned closer to Inuyasha.

"On two. Remember?" Inuyasha barely nodded. "One..." Inuyasha tensed. "TWO!" Tobias roared. They both charged Naraku, Tobias's sword blazing like a fiery brand in his fists, and both struck.

The barrier wobbled and wavered on impact. The two warriors took one step, then another, pushing against the invisible shield. They were almost there...almost there...

***SCHING!!!***

A flash of blue – moving so quickly that nobody even noticed it – sped through the battlefield. With a sound like a thousand mirrors shattering, Naraku's barrier collapsed. Naraku himself was thrown back. He stood up and leaped at them instantly, fury blazing in his eyes. His sword crashed into the two others with a...well, with a crash, I guess.

Naraku jumped over their heads and slashed Inuyasha's head with his sword. Inuyasha staggered back, but Tobias leaped into the air to meet Naraku. Tobias brought his sword down with all his might, knocking Naraku into a tree. As soon as he landed, Inuyasha was there. Inuyasha cut Naraku once across the chest, but Naraku returned with three sharp slashes to the back. Tobias came in, but was stunned by a crippling punch to the forehead. He dropped to one knee. Naraku brought his sword back, ready to decapitate him.

The flash of blue appeared again, very very briefly. Naraku staggered with a long slice ripped down his back. _Thank you, Inuyasha,_ thought Tobias grimly as he pressed the attack.

Sango launched her Hiraikotsu at Naraku. Twisting, the demon grabbed the boomerang; and, combining its speed with his demonic strength, whipped it around and smashed it into Tobias's head. Tobias flew back and landed, stunned.

Inuyasha launched in and scratched Naraku's hand with his own sharp claws, forcing him to drop Hiraikotsu. Naraku howled and cut Inuyasha open with his sword. Tobias, now recovered, leaped to where Inuyasha was and began a furious battle. Parry, parry, thrust, the immortal _passado_ and the _punto reverso_! Naraku knew something about swordplay, and he showed this by cutting a long path down Tobias's body.

As Tobias cried out in pain, Miroku sailed in and planted his staff squarely in Naraku's forehead. Naraku growled, turned, and threw Miroku off him. Miroku landed near Sango, who had recovered Hiraikotsu and was preparing to throw again.

"Why don't you use your Air Rip?" she yelled. She threw the giant boomerang into the fray.

"I can't," he said quickly. "They're too close! I might get one of them!"

Tobias's sword glowed with a fire. Flames curled at the hilt of it and flowed up the tip, into a glowing ball of flame. Tobias swung his sword and launched the fireball at Naraku; who, battling Inuyasha, didn't see it coming. He was struck head-on and tossed into the foliage. Inuyasha ran in to finish him, but he never got the chance. Naraku came roaring out and hit Inuyasha with his sword so hard that it staggered him. Naraku whirled and prepared for the finishing stroke.

A blue blur zoomed through the battlefield. Naraku fell, a deep cut in his stomach. But he almost immediately sprang back up to counter a powerful strike from Tobias. He then stumble-tripped sideways to avoid a purity arrow launched by Kagome. This gave him an idea.

Throwing aside both Tobias and Inuyasha, he made a beeline for Kagome. She shrieked and threw up her hands in an attempt to ward him off. Much to her dismay, her miko powers failed to activate, and Naraku captured her with one clawed hand.

"Give up, you two," he growled, "or she dies." He saw Tobias quail, Sango drop Hiraikotsu, Miroku gulp heavily, and Inuyasha...where was Inuyasha?

With a bellow, Inuyasha descended on Naraku and cut him wide open. Naraku lost his grip on Kagome, who fell and rapidly crawled to a more safe location. Tobias ran at Naraku, and all three swords clashed with a clang.

Naraku roared. A black light emanated from his sword, and it blossomed with power. Tobias and Inuyasha staggered under the assault, and this gave Naraku an advantage. He ducked down low and gripped Tobias's ankle. With all his strength, he swung Tobias into Inuyasha. Inuyasha hissed with pain as Tobias's armored form smashed into him. The two sailed into the trees. Tobias smacked his head on a rock and lay unconscious.

Naraku leaped at the both of them, ready to end this fight with one swift stroke. But a flicker of blue appeared, and Naraku was slammed violently off course. _This was no_ _mistake,_ thought Naraku, _there is somebody else! But who?_ He did not have much time to ponder his question, as Inuyasha chose this moment to charge and hit Naraku with everything he had. The sheer power and ferocity behind this attack caused Naraku's sword to fall from his hands, and for Naraku to go flying back into the clearing with the rest. It was clear that Naraku was on his last legs, that one more good hit would finish him off for good.

With a bound, Inuyasha was back and ready. His sword gleamed in the sunlight.

Kagome strung an arrow.

Sango readied Hiraikotsu.

Miroku grasped his sacred rosary tightly.

************************************************************************

Who would be the one to strike the final blow? Inuyasha, to defeat evil? Kagome, to reunite the shards of the Shikon no Tama? Miroku, to end his curse? Sango, to avenge her town? Tune in next week, for – oh, I get ahead of myself.

************************************************************************

But nobody got the chance to strike.

The blade of a sword protruded suddenly from Naraku's chest. He gasped, choked, and slowly turned his head behind him.

"You..." he croaked.

"Indeed," said the General. "You don't know how long I've wanted to do this..._my liege_." He yanked out the sword. Naraku collapsed. "And for good measure..." With several more swings of the General's sword, Naraku lay in pieces. From the ruined carcass the General extracted the jewel shards. He wiped the blood off them and looked at them, a small handful.

"Fascinating..." he murmured. He then pocketed them and turned his attention to the group.

Miroku and Sango looked at him with wide eyes. "Him..." Miroku whispered.

"I regret that there is no time for introduction, as I have pressing business elsewhere. So if you please...the remaining shards of the jewel." He held out a hand.

Inuyasha snarled and raised Tetsusaiga. "Feh. You want them? Come and get them."

"I rather think I shall, then," said the General. "But it would be much easier on all of us if you would simply hand them over...I do not have the time for a protracted battle. I am needed elsewhere. Besides, it would be a terribly uneven battle and it would be no fun at all."

"You think so? Come get some!" roared Inuyasha. He leaped at the General, bringing his sword to strike. With a whirl of the General's sword, he blocked Tetsusaiga and leaped to one side. Inuyasha followed him, bringing his sword crashing down yet never seeming to connect. Inuyasha was gearing up for the _Iron Reaver Soul Stealer_ when the General vanished.

"Huh?" Inuyasha looked around. "Where did he go?"

"While it is extremely amusing to engage in childish play such as this, Inuyasha, I have a busier schedule to attend to." The General stood on top of a tall tree, balancing perfectly on the tip. "Indeed, I was wondering when you were planning on finishing that battle with that fool Naraku. You two were so inept about it that I was forced to step in several times to assist you. Likely the only time we will ever fight side by side..."

"How did he get up there?" growled Inuyasha. "Can he teleport?" he said, glancing at Kagome.

"Teleport?" The General raised an eyebrow. "Teleportation is only used for extreme distances. Such short leaps such as these require only my own speed." He glanced around. "Where is the boy?"

"You mean...Tobias?" said Kagome.

"Yes, the irritating child who thinks he can stand up to me. Well, wherever he has gone off to, I am sure we shall have a nice welcome waiting for him when he returns." He looked at them. "Enlighten me...which of you possesses the shards of the jewel?"

Nobody spoke, but Kagome clasped a hand to the necklace of shards hanging around her neck. The General's eyes flicked to her.

"Excellent," he said in a monotone. He leaped down from the tree and landed gracefully. "I did not expect an answer, but that small gesture told me all I needed to know...Kagome." He advanced on her, but Inuyasha ran in front and blocked his progress.

"Don't you go near her," he growled.

"Temper, temper, Inuyasha," the General said. "I can understand why you would not want to lose the shards, but...you seem very protective of her. Is there a particular reason?" He looked over Inuyasha's shoulder at a very scared-looking Kagome. "There are relationships, and then there are _true_ relationships..."

Kagome was white with fear. A new foe arrived, who shrugged off all of Inuyasha's attacks and killed Naraku easily, and he was going straight for her. "Don't let him hurt the baby..." she whispered to herself. Most unfortunately, the General heard her.

"A baby?" said the General in a very quiet voice, so only Inuyasha could hear. "You two will have a baby? And you have been keeping this secret, I can tell." His eyes flicked around. "They would react more if they knew." He looked back at Inuyasha. "This changes things. I would not kill a woman carrying a child. Honor forbids it. But I-" His head turned in the direction of the forest. "I think the boy has finally decided to join the party." The General walked away and stood, facing away from the group.

Tobias got up from the rock, bleeding but conscious. _Agh, my head...where's Naraku? Did they kill him?!_ He walked out of the forest and stopped. The General stood, his back to him, his blue cape fluttering in the slight breeze.

"It's been a long time, boy."

Tobias was frozen to the ground. His face held such an expression of shock and disbelief that Kagome would have laughed at a less serious time. To everyone's shock and disbelief, a single tear rolled down Tobias's cheek.

"You..." he whispered. His voice held nothing but pain, and sadness, and sorrow. The General said nothing.

"You..." Tobias said again. But this time, it was much different. The sheer rage, and anger, and hatred that bubbled beneath the surface of that one word sent Inuyasha gaping. Kagome's eyes widened. They knew each other? Miroku and Sango didn't know what to think.

Tobias began to shake. His sword, which had been inert, started glowing. Very faintly at first, but it gained strength at a rapidly increasing rate.

"As soon as he overcomes his shock, he is going to attack. If I know him, he will open up with something spectacular, and I would not suggest standing near him when he does," said the General. Inuyasha had to agree with this, as the grass near Tobias's feet was now spontaneously catching on fire. The air around him had begun to crackle and fizz with heat. Inuyasha grabbed Kagome and pulled her away.

They thought they had seen Tobias angry before.

They thought they had seen the depths of his rage.

They thought they had seen the extent of his power.

They were wrong.

All of a sudden, Tobias's sword glowed so brightly that Inuyasha had to shield his eyes from its glare. Tobias's face snappily changed from shock to absolute hatred. He pointed his sword straight at the General and spoke.

"_Blazer Beam!!!_" A solid beam of fire erupted from the tip of Tobias's sword and went spiraling towards the General at impossible speeds. It burned with such intensity that the forest around it went up in flames as it traveled.

The General dodged it easily, moving with the grace of a dancer. Tobias, not seeming to care that his attack missed, rushed in with a howl that none present (excluding the General) had ever heard him use before. He brought his sword down on the General with astonishing speed and force.

Only, it never connected. Tobias began a frenzy of sword swinging, shouting hoarse battle cries, swinging his sword so fast Inuyasha was having trouble following his movements. Yet the General didn't seem to care. His movements were graceful, and easy, and floating, as if he were dancing through the air rather than dodging attacks. Tobias leaped back and held his sword high.

"**Blade, of, DEATH!!!**" The General extended his sword, pointing it straight at Tobias. The massive red blade leaped from Tobias's sword and speeded towards the General. It hit the tip of the General's sword spot-on and burst into a thousand sparkling fragments, which faded away into the light. Tobias rushed up while still shouting.

"_Big...Bang...Blade..._" His sword blazed with power as he ran up. The General sighed.

"I have no further time for these games," he said. "So let us end this..._now_." He pointed his sword at Tobias. Something silvery-white rushed from the tip – an icicle, perhaps? – and went right for Tobias.

It went straight through his head and stopped him cold. His sword lost its luster. He fell to the ground. The General looked at him as he lay there.

"I know you are not dead, boy," he said. "I have seen you take ten times that much damage and come back for more. One might think that several thousand years would improve your skills. What, have you been letting them atrophy all this time?" Then he turned to the others and disappeared.

"My patience has been worn to the bone, serving under Naraku for all those months; so I will say this only one last time. Give up the shards." The General had reappeared behind Kagome, his sword held to her throat. She panicked and struggled, but his grip was unbreakable. Inuyasha, furious, raised Tetsusaiga just a little.

"Do you imagine that you could get over here and attack me before I managed to cut her throat? You have seen my speed..." He pressed the blade just hard enough to make his point. "The shards."

"You bastard!" roared Inuyasha. He then lowered his voice to a whisper and said, "I thought you wouldn't hurt a woman carrying a pup!"

"Oh, yes, now I remember. So let us remedy that." A sudden, sharp blow from the General's fist to Kagome's stomach left her doubled over, wracked with fits of pain. "That should do the trick." While she fell, curled into a fetal position, he calmly removed the necklace and slipped it into his pocket.

"And now that I have the shards, I must bid you farewell." The General's sword glowed blue, and the glow quickly spread to his whole body. His entire form seemed to turn translucent blue for an instant, then it was gone.

Kagome, weakly crying, lay on the floor. She had never been hit that hard in her life. How could he do such a thing? Suddenly, a new, and even more terrible pain sprang to life. Fearing the worst, she slowly looked inside her underwear. Blood. This could only mean one thing.

Inuyasha dropped Tetsusaiga and ran as fast as he could to Kagome. He tenderly uncurled her and looked into her tear-stained face. "Kagome..." he whispered. "Are you all right?"

"No," she whimpered. "I...I lost the baby." She dissolved into tears as Inuyasha held her to him. "It hurts," she whispered.

"I know," he said. "It hurts me too." He glanced over at Tobias. "How's he doing?"

Sango bent over him and put a hand to his throat. She gasped. His pulse was weak, weaker than it ever had been. He seemed even worse than when he had fought the three demons during Kagome's heat. She stood up and turned to the others.

"He's not getting better," she said quietly. "His pulse is very weak. I don't know if..." She broke off and looked at him again. "We'll have to see."

Later that night, Tobias's condition had improved, but not by much. He was no longer on the cusp of death, but still in very bad shape. Sango stood watch over him, putting poultices of herbs on the wound and trying to keep his temperature down. Kagome sobbed brokenly into Inuyasha's arms over the loss of her unborn child. Inuyasha comforted Kagome, staring into the distance. _I don't believe it. I do not fucking believe it. This bastard comes out of nowhere, kills Naraku, almost kills Tobias, takes the shards, and hurts Kagome! When we meet again, I am SO going to kill him it isn't even funny._

Suddenly, a murmur arose from Tobias's bed. He stirred and opened his eyes. Sitting up weakly, he was immediately supported by Sango and Miroku and propped against a tree. He looked at them. Inuyasha came over, supporting Kagome, and stood in front of him, staring him down.

"Who the fuck was that? Where did he come from? How did he get so strong? What's with that sword? How-" Tobias cut him off with a baleful look.

"Yes, I think you've been keeping a secret from us," added Miroku. "So out with it. What is it?"

Tobias shifted uncomfortably. He stared into their eyes. "I need to tell you a story." he said wearily. "It begins..."

Sorry, I just can't write any more for one chapter. I'll tell you the story next time. So now we have a zillion more unanswered questions, but I can promise you that we'll finally learn about the enigmatic Tobias's past when he's through. REVIEW!

And I know, it's so sad, but this is kind of a turning point for the plot. Don't worry though, I will NOT and I repeat NOT turn this story into a very depressing one. I hate stories like that and refuse to read them. However, I may put in a few unsettling storylines, so just read the story and hope for the best. REVIEW AGAIN!

EDIT: In response to Kai's review: Yeah. Whoops. She wouldn't take it that well, would she. Little flaw there...time to change. Thanks for the hint! /EDIT


	35. The Very Long Flashback

Hi. This chapter is kind of melancholy, so don't get too disillusioned by it. These next few chapters will not be happy ones, but I reiterate my assurances last chapter: I WILL NOT TURN THIS FIC INTO AN ANGST-FILLED ONE. I hate and despise those. So, keeping that in mind...THE STORY! In this installment, we find out QUITE a lot about Tobias's mysterious past.

Chapter 35: The Very Long Flashback

"Over ten thousand years ago, a kingdom ruled over part of Asia. It was fairly large, covering about half of what is in Kagome's time called Russia. It was called Alarion. It was so named because of the legend of how the kingdom was begun; that a holy knight named Alarion had slain the evil ranger Druga and formed the nation on their field of battle.

"It was a prosperous land. The people were happy, merchants set fair prices, slavery was banned. It was idyllic, rather. The line of kings ruled justly, and basically all was right with the land. This went on for about three millennia. Then it happened.

"King Antwelm the Seventh, the ruler at the time, had two sons. One was named Marcus, and he grew to be a powerful commander on the field of battle. His combat finesse was seconded only by one other, but I'll get to that later. The other...the other was me." Kagome's eyes widened. Just how old _was_ he? Tobias continued.

"When he was seventeen, Marcus set off in search of a sword that the legends spoke of. Whoever wielded this sword, the sages claimed, would have power beyond that of mortal men. So of course, him being the oldest and next in line for the throne, he went off to get it and I stayed behind. I was nine years old at the time, so I was hardly suited for such a quest.

"Understand, I looked much different then than I do now. My hair was black, I was trim but not muscular, and I didn't have this armor either. Much of that was because I hadn't hit puberty yet, but there were other reasons for my drastic change of appearance between then and now.

"Ten years passed after Marcus left. I grew into a man. One day, Marcus returned. His appearance had altered. His hair, instead of brown, was now pure white; and he wore burnished golden armor. At his side, he carried the sword that he had been seeking for so long. We embraced and cried and told each other how much we missed each other. But he was powerful now, and he showed it. His sword granted him fantastic powers. He could run, and leap, and fight, like nothing I had ever seen before. Also, when a battle was turning against him, an emergency power activated and he could command lightning. It was the most powerful weapon I had ever seen. He confided in me that it stopped his aging, that he would live forever while in possession of it.

"The king had one other military leader, one whose tactics excelled even Marcus's. His name, I never knew and still don't. I only knew him as the General. We...we were friends, sort of. Well, as good friends as a kid and an adult can be. He was a brilliant strategist, the most brilliant I have ever met. But he would often get passed up for missions, in favor of the king's son, Marcus. This, understandably, made him upset. Also, Marcus, not being the nicest person in the world..." Tobias's eyes dropped a little. He seemed ashamed at saying things like that about his own brother. "He seemed to have a vendetta against the General, knowing that the other man was a superior strategist. So he would do whatever he could to humiliate the General in front of the king.

"Three years passed, and the tension between the General and Marcus heightened. When the General finally went on a campaign against our hated enemies, Mistaria, in the west, Marcus got the General's troops caught in an enemy ambush and massacred. He swept in and saved the day, and reported back to the king. This drove the General past the edge. In a fit of rage, he shouted at the king that he would no longer serve under a senile old fool who practiced flagrant nepotism. The king banished him, and he was more than happy to leave. He swore revenge on the king, his court, and the entire country for disgracing him so.

"Around the same time, I heard rumors of another legendary sword, the one that Alarion had used to kill Druga so many years ago, a sword of tremendous power. I immediately gathered up a phalanx of troops and went off in search of this sword. For two and a half years, my search was fruitless. Then, I went into the frozen north, what you call Siberia.

"There lay a labyrinth of ice; cruel tunnels, with monsters and demons and horrid creatures barring the way at every turn. We fought gallantly, but we were hopelessly lost and our numbers were dwindling. I thought that I was done for, that I would die in that forsaken wilderness, when we turned a corner and saw the center.

"It was stunningly anticlimactic. A rusty old stick, barely looking like a sword at all, stuck in a block of ice. My face fell. All those men had died, I had wasted years of my life...for this piece of junk?" Tobias paused in his narrative. "Actually..." he said slowly, "it looked rather like Tetsusaiga in its untransformed state." Inuyasha's eyebrows rose.

"There was nothing for it. I raised my hand to signal my men to leave...and yet...there was something about that sword. Something compelling me to go over and grasp it, to pull it out and claim it as my own. One of my men, I forget his name, went over before me and yanked on it. It did not budge. Shaking my head at the strange urge, I went over and tugged on it. It slid out smooth as glass.

"Suddenly, my entire world vanished, and I saw only bright light. My companions later swore that a transformation came over the sword and I. Before their eyes, I grew taller, larger, stronger; my hair changed from black to flaming red; black plate armor shimmered into existence, replacing my own feeble chain shirt; the sword went from a pitted piece of garbage to a magnificent, long, hard metal sword with a flame patterned on its surface. A burning heat enveloped me, and I cried out at the sensation. The heat grew, and grew, until I thought I would be roasted alive. I focused every particle of my mind into quenching this terrible fire.

"It vanished. Slowly my vision returned to me. The first things I saw were blurry forms of my men, gaping in wonder at me and at...something, I couldn't tell. Then, it was my turn to gape as I finally saw. The entire labyrinth of ice – indeed, the entire area – had melted. We stood on dry ground, something unheard of that far north. My companions looked at me like I was a terrible beast. Some were ready to flee. I sheathed the sword in a long scabbard that had also appeared at my side.

"Then I cracked a smile. 'Who's ready to go home?' I said good-naturedly. That broke the trance. They saw it was me, truly. As we traveled, I found my companions' pikes and halberds quickly became useless, next to the power that I held. I suffered great wounds in battle, that would have killed a man on the spot; and they barely slowed me down. My knowledge of my newfound abilities grew over the six months we spent traveling back home, back to Alarion. But there was no welcome waiting for me.

"I did not recognize my homeland when we arrived back at it. Death and destruction spread as far as the eye could see. Almost everyone lay dead; or worse, dying, begging for a merciful death, anything to end the pain. I encountered an old woman; who, miraculously, had been spared. 'What happened?!' I demanded. Alarion was the most powerful military force in the continent; what could have brought about this terror?

"'Him,' she whispered in a cracked, dry voice. 'The destroyer, the ravager. He has come back.' After much interrogation, I determined what had happened.

"The General had come back, and with a vengeance. He too had found a sword; one that granted him powers of ice. Fire, ice, and lightning; what I would learn to be the Three Swords of power. And yet..." His eyes rested on Inuyasha for an unnaturally long time before pulling away and resuming his tale. "The General's power far outstripped that of our army. Armed as they were with steel and wood and iron, he cut them down like lambs on the fold. I had arrived just in time to see Marcus spring to the battlefield, with what troops he had left. It had come to a challenge. He drew his sword, and the blade sparkled with electricity. The General stared him down.

"I could not watch. I tore to the palace, moving so fast I was but a blur to the few that still lived in the ruined citadel. Bursting through the doors to my parents' throne room, I was horrified to see their..." He swallowed what sounded like a sob. "Their bodies." Tears leaked from his eyes, and Sango put a comforting arm around his shoulder. After a few seconds, he regained enough composure to keep on.

"I ran back outside, to find Marcus facing down against the General in the courtyard. They spoke, and I remember what they said as if it had happened yesterday...

"'General!' shouted Marcus angrily. 'How could you do such a thing? To slaughter innocent civilians! To kill women and children! To betray the empire you once pledged your life to! How could you BE so-' The General cut him off with a gesture. 'Please,' he said dryly. 'You do not understand things from my point of view. Let us look at the facts. Every military campaign I entered, you showed me up in some way. Five score over the years you have taken from my grasp that I was more suited for. People spat at me in the streets, because I was the one who kept losing!' The General's face curled into a sneer, but quickly resolved into its normal, expressionless state. 'And then I found this sword, and it all became beautifully clear. Here was how I would win my campaigns. I would go into business by myself and take on whomever I fancied.' His voice dropped. 'I fancied Alarion first,' he almost whispered.

"With a roar, Marcus charged him and crashed his sword onto the General's. They began an epic duel, swords clashing as they flew through the air and around the area. I could barely keep up with them; they were going so fast. But one thing was obvious: Marcus was losing, and badly.

"At the time, I had no idea of how to activate my sword's powers of fire. So I was surprised to see it burning in my hand like a great torch. Before I could step in, they locked swords and again exchanged remarks.

"'How can you be so calm, in the midst of all this battle?!' groaned Marcus. He was bleeding badly, while the General only had a few scratches. 'You do not understand, do you,' said the General, almost pityingly. 'All of the Three Swords have contingencies which activate their powers. Yours happens to be when you are losing a battle. Mine, I gain strength from lack of emotion. So I am only helping myself along to more power. If the boy ever finds his,' a smirk appeared on his face, only to vanish just as quickly, 'then he will undoubtedly find out that rage empowers his.' Marcus leaped away and held his sword high. It glowed white, and clouds gathered overhead. '_Thunder Rage!_' I heard him cry. The General took a mighty leap towards him, but a massive lightning bolt hit him in midair. It held him there, suspended, while six other bolts zap down to combine their powers.

"The General fell and did not move. For a minute, my breathing slowed. Had he been defeated? Had the General fallen forever? My question was not answered as Marcus crept up on him, slowly, keeping his sword out and in a defensive position in case it was a trap." Tobias paused again, and took a deep breath before continuing. "It was.

"The General leaped up – so fast I didn't even see him move, and I doubt Marcus did either -–and sliced Marcus's hands off at the wrists. Blood poured from his stumps as his sword clattered to the ground. He fell to one knee. The General advanced on him, held his sword high...and stopped. For the first time, his eye caught mine. He smiled slightly. Marcus slowly, painfully turned his head to see what the General was looking at. Just before he would have seen me, the General cut him to pieces, right before my eyes." Tobias began to cry again, and it was some minutes before he calmed himself down enough to keep talking.

"I had just found out how to activate my powers. Before that moment, I had never used my fire powers except when I first grasped the sword. I had no idea how to use them. Before that fateful moment, I felt nothing but shock and sorrow for the dead surrounding me. And as I saw my brother die at the hands of my once-friend, I knew the meaning of anger.

"I don't remember much after that; but from what I can remember, the skies turned black, the seas boiled, and the ground melted to lava under my feet. I leaped at the General with a roar and hit him with everything I had and more. He went flying through the air, smashed through several thick stone walls, and ended up inside the ruined walls of the palace. Not stopping for an instant, I crashed through the walls myself to face him. That one blow had done more damage than all of Marcus's attacks had. The _Blade of Death_, the _Big Bang Blade_, all the abilities I never knew existed leaped to my mind, as well-remembered as if I had practiced them every day for a hundred years. And I used all of them. I didn't care how I got hurt, how he sliced me and cut me and tossed chunks of ice at me, all that mattered was that I had to kill him or die trying. But neither happened.

"Even in this state of horrific rage and monstrous power, he still had more power than me. He beat me to within an inch of my life, until I could no longer move for the injuries. I had hurt him, a lot in fact, but it paled in comparison to the damage he did to me. I've never been closer to death, nor have I...nor have I ever craved death more, than in that moment. He said some things and left. I blacked out.

"A day or so later, I woke up and found I had enough strength to stand. I was stunned by the sight around me. Where the once-proud kingdom had stood...there was nothing." Tobias paused. "Not a single brick of a single building, not a hair of a person's head. It was as if I had lain in the middle of the wilderness; which, except for the lack of trees, I had. I looked around and saw no trace of Alarion, no sign it had ever existed.

"Why did I keep going? Why didn't I just cast aside the sword and let myself die in that forsaken land? ... I don't know. But, I searched around for the nearby city-state of Ahmsbrad. It was the same; as if it had been wiped off the earth. I went to the native village of Chinglechook...oblivion. I didn't even know where it had once stood. In a fit of desperation, I even went to Mistaria, the land of our hated enemies. Gone.

"Apparently, the General had gone to every colony he could find and wiped them off the map. Why did he do it? I still have no idea. I don't know why he does what he does, but I know that he's been doing it for about seven thousand years, now.

"I spent the next millennia traveling, despondently looking for the General so I could put an end to the rivalry that stood between us. But always, he eluded my grasp. I did what I could to eat, to get shelter. Often I could salvage my own. Remember, this was before many of the so-called 'early' civilizations were organized. Our nations came far before them, but the General destroyed them so cleanly and so efficiently that not a trace was left for archaeologists to find or for ancient people to build on. The kingdom of Alarion became less than a legend, less than a myth...it vanished completely from the minds of the world. Only the General and I knew it had ever existed."

Tobias shifted uncomfortably. "In the last few years, I've taken up residence in Tokyo and became an assassin. My powers are more than enough to compensate for such a job; and while it is not the noblest of professions, what else could I do? Do you think I could hold a job as the CEO of a major corporation? Not a chance." He turned to Inuyasha. "I told you once I was twenty-six, Inuyasha. And I am. I've been twenty-six for over seven thousand years." For the first time, he seemed to notice Kagome and her sobs. "Kagome? What's wrong?? What happened?"

Kagome tried to form some words, but only wailed loudly and buried her head into Inuyasha's fire-rat kimono. Inuyasha answered for her.

"We've kept this a secret, but during Kagome's heat...we mated." Tobias's eyes, which had been half-closed and droopy, snapped wide open and alert. "No! Not like that...I didn't...force myself on her. I had my mind. I rescued her from drowning in the river and...well..." He blushed a little, but continued.

"Because we mated during her heat, Kagome was most likely to whelp then, and she did. I could smell it. She had a pup. Our pup." Inuyasha's eyes darkened. "After the General took you out, Tobias, he was holding his sword to Kagome's throat. When he knew Kagome had a baby...he hit her so hard that she lost it." He finished quietly and stroked Kagome's hair as she let out a fresh outburst of sobs.

Tobias closed his eyes. Not a muscle moved on his face, but the others became aware that his sword was glowing in his scabbard. Thinking quickly, Inuyasha lashed out and dragged the humans away. (A/N: Good idea.) Little points of light beamed out from the hilt of the scabbard, the air around Tobias shimmered red, and the tree he was leaning against burst into flames.

It burned very quickly, turning into a blackened husk in seconds. Tobias, unburned, still leaned against the dead tree. Kagome, teary-eyed, lifted her head from Inuyasha's embrace.

"Wh...why?" she whimpered. "Why would...why would he...do something like that?"

"He's evil, Kagome," said Tobias in a voice that was shaking with suppressed rage. "He's evil and he's a heartless bastard and he kills just for the sake of killing. He knew he couldn't kill you, you're important, so he hit you where it would hurt the most. He's a cold, calculating bastard; and that's just the sort of thing he would do." He closed his eyes again and seemed to settle down. "I'm going to rest now. I'm still very weak."

Ooooh. His life sucks, doesn't it. But, it had to be told. I have an interesting challenge for you. Now that you know his mysterious history, go back and read the story again. See how most of the things Tobias says and does suddenly make so much more sense. Oh, and another thing? REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To shiro-okami – 1: She wasn't pregnant enough to be sick yet. 2: It might have, you have a point, but the bullet hit her too high on the torso to affect the baby. 3: I don't think they'll name the baby shiro-okami. Sorry. 4: This isn't going to be the happiest fic ever written, but it is not a generally depressing one. I **HAVE **stressed this.


	36. Stuff Happens

Howdy there, folks. That thar's a new chapter over yonder. Reckon it's time to get a'reading.

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I don't even know why I'm doing this. Boredom, insanity, sleep deprivation, I don't know. Actually, that's my formula for a little creative genius. A healthy dose of each gets your mind trucking like nothing I've ever seen! Stay up till 4:30, do absolutely nothing for three hours straight (don't sleep), and start writing. It's crazy! You have to be naturally insane, but I already am, so I'm not worried.

...

Rambling on again, I see. One last thing to shiro-okami: I generally don't respond to individual reviews (unless all of you want me to...hint hint...review and tell me if you do), so don't get upset if I don't mention you personally. I did tell Jamie what you said, but his computer is screwed up right now and no email can be sent or received. TO THE STORY!

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Chapter 36: Stuff Happens

The group ate breakfast silently. The sun had risen and a new day had begun since the encounter with the General. Everyone was in a rotten mood.

Tobias was very withdrawn and depressed. Clearly he knew the terrible burden that lay ahead of him, and had let it get to him. The others had never seen him like this. Gone was the cheerful, wisecracking Tobias of the past. Being confronted with the slaughterer of his family, an (to him) invincible foe who took him down with a gesture, had destroyed his hope.

Kagome was still very upset over the loss of her unborn child. All that night, the sound of her sobs floated through the campsite and drove into Inuyasha's ears like white-hot needles. Even worse; the jewel shards, which she had been protecting against everyone for years, were plucked from her grasp like candy taken from a baby. She was convinced that she had failed, miserably, in her duty of protecting the Shikon no Tama. She had managed, however, to restrain her tears that morning; keeping herself to an occasional whimper when she thought about her loss.

Inuyasha was not sad, but mostly furious at the death of his pup. He had sworn that when he saw the General again, he would "rip that fucking bastard to pieces"; whereupon Tobias had immediately pointed out that all of their combined power was unlikely to even faze him. Inuyasha had snorted and stomped into the trees. He was also upset at how sad Kagome was. He had held her all night, reassuring her that everything would be all right, and that he would protect her; but it did not do much good.

Miroku was brooding. His cursed hand had finally healed with the death of Naraku, but with it went his greatest weapon. Now he could father an heir and continue his bloodline, but with whom? He and Sango were very close, but she was not likely to take him up on his suggestions to "bear my child" anytime soon. And he knew that no other woman would do. What was he to do?

Sango was visibly upset at Kagome's sadness. She had come to regard Kagome as a sister. Ever since Kohaku's destruction at the hands of Naraku two years ago, she felt she had no family left and had turned to Kagome for companionship. Now that Kagome was miserable, Sango felt like crying herself. She had nobody to confide in except Miroku. And, while he was nice to hang around with, she needed someone to talk to about 'girl things', and Kagome was not being the best person to talk to lately.

And the shadow of the General hung over all of them like a great suffocating shroud. Clearly this was a foe far beyond that they had ever fought before. How was it even possible to beat him? None of them ventured a guess as they quietly swallowed their ramen.

Tobias spoke, for the first time since last night. "You know, the General isn't our only problem." Everyone looked at him; startled by both his speaking and the words therein. Something other than the General? "I haven't been able to keep this sword a total secret for all my life. There have been...organizations. Groups that have tried to defeat me and take the sword, in hopes of gaining power themselves. The one that has plagued me for the longest time, for the last fifteen hundred years, is called the Brotherhood of the Blade." He spooned more soup into his mouth before continuing. "I didn't say anything before, obviously, but they were the ones who were attacking me all the time in Kagome's time. And I'd bet my bottom dollar that we'll see them around here as well."

Inuyasha tossed his empty bowl aside angrily. "That is just what we need. First, a super-powerful emotionless evil bastard; now, a bunch of jackasses who will kill innocent people for a little power! So, what more good news have you got? Did you piss off a god somewhere, and now he's following you around and making all of our lives go straight to hell?!"

Tobias looked at Inuyasha wearily. "I'm not in the mood, Inuyasha," he said shortly. He set down his bowl and stood up. He began to walk away. "Goodbye," he said.

"Wait!" said Kagome. Tobias stopped. "Where are you going?"

"Isn't it obvious?" said Tobias sadly. Nobody spoke. "The General is after me, not you. If I stick around with you guys, you'll all be in danger. I can't put this burden on you. I have to face him alone." He turned away again.

"No!" shouted Kagome. She leaped from her seat and planted herself firmly in front of Tobias. A moment later, Inuyasha joined her. Tobias looked imploringly at the both of them.

"Listen, if the General decides to fight me, and you're here, he'll kill all of you as well as me. Enough people have died because of him, I don't want you to die as well." His voice wavered, but he held firm.

"You think you're leaving? You're crazy," snorted Inuyasha. Both Kagome and Tobias looked at him. "There is no goddamn way I'm letting that bastard off the hook. We've been searching for the shards of the jewel for almost four years now. And this guy has them. So you think I'm about to give up now?" Inuyasha's voice softened. "Besides, he hurt Kagome and killed our pup. I'm not gonna rest until that guy is in pieces." Kagome's eyes watered, but she bravely held in her tears.

Tobias's voice hovered just above a whisper. "I can't let you-"

"Let me?! You're not _letting_ me do anything. You're sticking with us, whether you like it or not." And with that, Inuyasha grabbed Tobias and dragged him back to the camp, plunking him in his bed.

Tobias sat with his eyes closed. It was a long time before he spoke.

"You know, that reaction did not even enter my mind as a possibility. I thought maybe you would be angry, or upset, or even glad to be rid of me, but this...I honestly did not see this coming." He stood up. "Are you sure about this? You've seen the might of the General. Are you sure you want to endanger yourselves this way?"

Inuyasha gave a snort of assent. Miroku said yes. Sango nodded. Kagome, however, stood up and walked over to Tobias.

"Tobias...what Inuyasha said is true. We can't let him get away with the things he's done. All I ask..." She swallowed a whimper. "I'm pretty sure that you and Inuyasha are the only ones who can fight the General. All I ask is that you two keep us safe." She glanced back at the others. "I know what Inuyasha will say...what about you?"

Tobias surprised her by taking her hands into his own. "Kagome..." he said softly. "No normal human can face the General and hope for anything more than a quick death. Even super-humans and hanyous such as myself and Inuyasha buckle before his might. But I promise you this." His voice dropped even lower. "I will always join swords with Inuyasha to defend you, he, and us, until the last breath of life ebbs from my body. I will never cease protecting us. This I swear." He let go of her hands.

Inuyasha had heard the whole thing. When he saw Tobias hold Kagome's hands, a burst of anger rose up in him. _So, he wants to touch MY mate, huh? He'd better watch his ass..._ But as he heard the words, anger made way for respect. _He knows he's too weak and he still promises this? This guy is dedicated...I'm impressed. And he was right. I will protect them._

Kagome turned away from Tobias, only to run right into Inuyasha. Startled, she tried to back up, but he caught her in a gentle embrace and held her close to him.

"Kagome..." he whispered. "What Tobias says goes for me too. I will always protect you, and I won't let the General touch one hair on your head. I love you more than anything I have ever known and I won't let you get hurt."

Kagome hugged him back, squeezing him tightly as if trying to crush all the hurt and pain she had experienced over the last night. "I love you," she sobbed quietly.

Tobias approached. "If I'm going to be staying with you, we're going to need to change a lot of things around here." Inuyasha looked at him sharply. Just what did he mean by that?

"The General, as far as I know, does not sleep. Ever. I usually don't either, unless I'm really hurt or knocked unconscious. So either me or Inuyasha are going to have to be on guard 24 hours a day." Inuyasha nodded his assent. "Staying in one place for any length of time is suicide. We'll have to constantly be moving, even at night. Kirara can carry Miroku and Sango, and you can carry Kagome." Tobias hesitated. "Also, we have a bit of a dilemma. The General took the shards, and without them, the well is inoperable. So we're going to have a problem getting back to Kagome's time."

Kagome jerked her head up. He was right! "I can't go back...until we've beaten him?" Tobias closed his eyes.

"Yes," he said quietly. "I think so." Inuyasha reached into a pocket of his kimono and pulled out one tiny shard. Kagome looked, wide-eyed, at it; but quickly remembered.

"Oh yeah! I gave one shard to Inuyasha so he could go back and forth through the well. The General doesn't have all of them yet. Besides, what about Koga's shards? Does he even know about those?"

Sesshomaru stood in the forest. The memories were flooding back to him like a dam had broken in his mind. Here was the exact spot where he had first seen Rin's dead body. She was young, maybe eight or nine. Reviving her with Tenseiga was an easy task. But over the years, he had grown quite fond of her. He was jolted from his thoughts by a dry leaf rustling on the ground near him. He turned in that direction. A man stood there, human by the looks of him; with blue hair, gray armor, and a large sword at his side. _Very muscular for a human. Of course, he can't compete with my strength._

"Ah, the aristocratic assassin. Hail to you, Sesshomaru," said the man. He spoke without tone or inflection, totally emotionless. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow.

"Who are you?" he returned, just as calmly. "How do you know my name? State your name and business with this Sesshomaru."

"My name is my own, and not yours," said the General. "It is irrelevant. Simply refer to me as the General."

"It is hard to trust a man who does not even trust others with his name," said Sesshomaru coldly.

"It is harder still to trust others with that which you do not trust yourself," countered the General.

(A/N: Geez, clash of the emotionless here. For any normal people, this is the equivalent of shouting at the top of their lungs.)

Sesshomaru's eye twitched. "Very well. What is it you want?"

"Information. I have recently come into some jewel shards, and am searching for the rest. I appear to be four short. Any knowledge of where these are would be extremely helpful."

"And why should I share such knowledge?" said Sesshomaru. "What gain would it bring to me?"

"Would you not like to be finally rid of your troublesome brother?" said the General. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. This was an interesting proposal.

"My heart sings at the thought of it. However, it seems unlikely that a human man such as yourself could do such a thing."

"But I am no mere man, oh Lord of the Western Lands," said the General coolly. "I am much, much more than a man...and have proved my mettle against all manner of demons and beasts."

"Words prove nothing," Sesshomaru said icily. "Actions speak for themselves."

"Then let this action speak for me." In a flash, the General was upon Sesshomaru. He gripped him tightly by the throat, with his other hand firmly holding both of Sesshomaru's wrists. The proud demon was, in short, completely helpless. "So I ask again. Where are the shards?"

Sesshomaru tried to speak, but only choked. The General relaxed his grip enough for him to talk. "Three are in the possession of a wolf demon named Koga," gasped Sesshomaru. "That way." He pointed with one claw. Sated, the General dropped Sesshomaru and walked away in that direction.

Roiling with rage, Sesshomaru stood up. His hand glowed and extended into his energy whip. With impossible speed and impeccable aim, he lashed out at the General.

In a single movement, the General had his sword out. The whip coiled around the sword. The General pulled; Sesshomaru was yanked from his spot and went flying. The General twirled him like a lasso before hurling him into the trees with a snap of his wrist. He sheathed his sword as Sesshomaru landed.

"I would thank you not to attack me while my back is turned," said the General. "There is no honor in such a thing." He left.

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SORRY SORRY SORRY for such a long wait and such a short chapter! I have the worst case of writer's block in the history of mankind. Also, that line of asterisks is how I'm going to begin and end chapters from now on. I would go back and change them all, but I really don't care and I'm betting you don't either. If you really do, you know how to tell me...**_REVIEW!!!_**


	37. A Fabulous Game

HIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!! I am BACK, bigger than life, and twice as COOL! I have set my personal problems behind me, to bring you the next exciting installment of my story! And I have another important announcement. Only, this one is less gloom-and-doomy. Brace yourselves...

I have decided to write a LEMON!

"Gasp!" I can hear you all go. "How will he do it?! The story is only rated PG-13..." Well, dear readers, this is where modern ingenuity comes into play. No, I'm not raising the rating to R. If you haven't already noticed, the default sorting for stories by rating is G to PG-13. R-rated stories aren't even shown. And studies have shown that many, many people are too lazy or don't know how to switch it over. So that would be cutting out 90% of my potential fanbase right off the bat. No sir.

I shall not even consider going to that den of sin known as aff.net. I've never gone there and I hope never to. It sickens me.

Instead, I shall create a new story. A one-chapter story. Its rating shall be R, and it will supplant one of the chapters of my regularly scheduled story. It will be called, "The Other Swordsman – Chapter Whatever". Not actually Whatever, but whatever the chapter happens to be. It will contain my vaunted lemon.

This is the ideal method, I think. It is not integral to the plot, so people who are offended or don't want to read such a thing can just skip right over it. I won't have to change my story or break its rating restrictions. It's the perfect plan. So, I'll announce when I'm doing it. It will be in just a few chapters...to warn you...

Actually, I've never written one of these before (contrary to my humorous example many chapters ago) so I'll need some feedback. No, I'm not asking for ideas. That's gross. I'm ASKING if you actually want me to go THROUGH with this or not. If not, that's fine; if so, that's fine too. I await your decisions.

I've kept you waiting long enough...STORY!

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Chapter 37: A Fabulous Game

The General was sitting in a wooden chair in a large room. There was little lighting, throwing most of the room into shadow. A table was set in front of him, with a half-finished chess game on a sculpted marble board. The ornately carved pieces were standing in intricate positions. The General's hand hovered over a black bishop.

"Make a move," came a voice from the other side of the table. Someone was sitting there, but the darkness obscured his features. "I've been waiting for ten minutes."

The General raised his hand and his head. "Patience," he said calmly. "A good game of chess can take hours." He selected a black knight and moved it. "I still cannot get over how much different you sound than before."

"I'm using my indoor voice," said the voice. A hand reached out, the wrist and arm covered in a black material. It moved a white rook and withdrew into the shadow. The sides of the General's mouth twitched. He glanced at the chessboard.

"The Evan's Gambit," he remarked. "A style of play I have not seen in decades. I always knew you were a cultured man." The General moved his bishop.

"Being well read and well learned have always been two of my highest aims." The other man castled and waited for the General's turn. (A/N: Castling is where your rook and your king change places, you can only do it if neither of them have moved before, if you don't know.)

"As have they been two of mine." The General moved a pawn and sat back in his chair. "The foremost, of course, is vengeance."

"Vengeance?" Curiosity with a touch of amusement tinged the other man's voice. "You killed his entire family, slaughtered the whole kingdom, took the country and all around it to pieces and _you_ are seeking _vengeance_? Whatever for?" A white knight took the pawn the General had just moved.

The General took his time to answer. He moved another pawn to threaten the knight. "For staying alive, and taunting me all these years with his insufferable presence. When I do a job, I wish to be thorough; and the boy had constantly eluded me. I have as much right to vengeance as he."

"Perhaps." The hand moved the white queen. "Or maybe you should simply let go of the whole thing. Fighting him, however enjoyable it may be to you, is dangerous."

"Dangerous?" The General raised an eyebrow.

"Dangerous. He has power and you know it. Think of your first battle against him. He would have killed you."

"Would have," repeated the General coldly. He grabbed his knight and knocked the white queen off the board, so sharply it hit the wall and shattered to pieces.

"Temper, temper, General," said the other man soothingly. "That's the most emotion I've seen out of you in months. Did I strike a nerve?"

"It is a bit of a touchy subject." The General resumed his earlier calm. "But the past is irrelevant to the future. I have made quite sure that the earlier scenario will not be recreated. I will kill him."

"Indeed." The General stared into the shadowed face of the man as he moved a white rook to take the knight.

"You should hardly be one to talk about fighting Tobias," said the General. He began to speak again, but before he could get a word out the other man jumped up and growled.

"Don't you dare say things like that to me," he snarled.

"You are not in a position to tell me what I can and cannot say." The General remained seated. He moved his remaining bishop.

"You have no idea-"

"I have every idea," the General cut in sharply. The other man seemed to relax. He sat back down and moved a pawn.

"Perhaps we should simply avoid the subject," the General said. "It is not conducive to good chess playing."

"There is one more thing." The General moved a rook. "One more thing I would like to share, before I must be off again."

"Then say it. It is almost impossible to find a chess partner in this day and age, and our face-to-face encounters are rare. I wish to finish the game before you leave."

The other man did not speak. He slowly moved his hand over a knight, then a rook, then his king. The General watched impassively.

"You should watch Tobias," he finally said quietly. "He could come from where you least expect it..." He moved a bishop and took the General's rook. "And strike you down without warning." He stood up. The General stood up too, looking at the board.

"Checkmate," mused the General. "Are you trying to make a point?"

"The point is made. I must go...I have things to do. Goodbye for now, General." The other man slipped away into the darkness. The General remained standing, looking at the chessboard.

Weeks had passed. They were constantly traveling, even by night. As Tobias had planned, during the long night hours; Kirara carried the humans, Inuyasha carried Kagome, and Tobias ran by himself. He seemed to go with a grim determination that belied his earlier weakness. Kirara slept on Sango's shoulder during the day. Inuyasha, who after all needed SOME sleep, occasionally slept on Kirara. During those times, Tobias carried Kagome.

They had gone so far that not even Inuyasha had any concept of where they were. It didn't matter, really, seeing as the well was unusable at the time. It had been, since about two weeks before the present.

The General stepped lightly into the clearing where Inuyasha stood. Inuyasha recoiled, and his hand darted toward Tetsusaiga; but before he could pull it out the General was upon him. An iron-hard fist smashed into his chest. Inuyasha gasped, the General took this opportunity to delve into his hakama and pull out the jewel shard.

"You don't know how much trouble it's been for me to find this," said the General. "But no trouble at all taking it. So long." He left, leaving Inuyasha to growl in his wake.

Kagome had taken the news hard. As long as they had possessed that one jewel shard, evading the General seemed a possibility. But with the news that even that small hope snatched from them, she fell into a deep depression. She was convinced that she would never see her family again.

Inuyasha and Kagome had not done much in the line of their relationship over the last weeks. She was far too upset for such a thing, and he wasn't feeling that great either. Inuyasha knew that she still loved him, and he her, but their relationship was suffering. He voiced his thoughts, once, to Tobias. Tobias only slowly nodded.

"That's what the General does best," he said tonelessly. "He makes people suffer. He glories in causing pain, which is why he does what he does."

Let us return to the current time. The group had encountered a rather large bear demon. They were battling it with varying degrees of success. Tobias had slashed off one of its arms, but it had knocked him into the underbrush, stunning him. Inuyasha went in for the offensive, but before he struck an all too familiar voice rang out.

"_Fox Fire!_" A jet of flame spewed out from the trees and engulfed the demon. It gave one last roar and collapsed, unconscious. Inuyasha made quick work of it with Tetsusaiga, then they all turned to the woods where the attack came from.

Shippo stepped cautiously out of the underbrush, seeing who the people were. He had a blank look for a second, then comprehension dawned. In the blink of an eye, he was attached to Kagome's leg.

"Kagomeeeeeeee!!!!" he wailed. "It's been so long I think two years and I stayed with the fox demons but there was trouble a man attacking and killing demons the fox demons sent me away and told me to hide I THOUGHT I'D NEVER SEE YOU AGAIN!! WAAAAAH!!!" He cried into Kagome's skirt. Kagome lifted him off her leg and hugged him tightly.

"It's all right, Shippo," she said soothingly. "You're safe now. You're back with us." Shippo sobbed unrestrainedly as Kagome tried to calm him down.

"I take it this is Shippo," said Tobias lightly. He had extricated himself from the bushes in time to notice the rather impressive attack. "He's kind of cute. In a little stuffed-animal type of way. How did he pull off that attack? That's more than I would expect from a little kid..." Shippo had calmed down a little bit, but was still clinging to Kagome like she was his lifeline.

"That wasn't very smart, you damn kit," said Inuyasha, walking over. "What were you thinking? You don't go attacking a demon that big when you're that small!" Kagome scowled at Inuyasha, but inwardly she smiled. _That's Inuyasha all right...can't let one trace of affection slip from him. Except for me..._ Inuyasha, however, reluctantly looked at him and said, "We missed you."

"Well, I sure missed you!" wailed Shippo. "I missed all of you! Even Inuyasha!" Inuyasha grumbled. "Who's that?" Shippo said, pointing at Tobias.

"I'm Tobias. I'm traveling with them for now. And I know who the man that was attacking is. His name is the General, and you should avoid him at all costs."

Shippo sniffled. "When the fox demons sent me away, they told me to hide this somewhere, that they would draw him away while I got rid of this." He opened his hand to reveal a gleaming Shikon shard.

Everyone's jaw hit the floor. The last – the very last – shard, and in the hands of _Shippo_, of all people? This boggled the mind. Tobias sat down heavily. Inuyasha stood frozen, stunned. Kagome was so caught off guard by this that she dropped Shippo. He hit the ground with a cry and scrabbled to get back into her embrace again.

Tobias was the first to move again. He leaped to Shippo and snatched the shard from his hand. He then deposited it in an inner pocket of his clothes, underneath his breastplate. "The General won't find it here," he said quietly. "The only way to get this shard now is off my corpse."

"Shippo..." began Kagome in a placating tone. "We know you're in trouble...and that shard might just be what will get you – and us – out of it. But it's not safe to stay with us. We kind of attract trouble."

"Would it be any safer for him to go off alone?" said Tobias gloomily. Kagome grimaced as she imagined what would happen if Shippo encountered the General. "You're right," she said finally. "He should stay with us."

Shippo, who had been threatening to burst into tears again, suddenly became joyful at the prospect of staying with them again. "Yaaaay! I get to stay with you guys some more!" Tobias chuckled at his youthful enthusiasm.

"At least one of us isn't depressed," he said. "Come on, kit, we can't stop moving for anything. We're being chased, too."

"And you have been caught," came a voice. The General stood on top of a tree near them. Tobias leaped up and unsheathed his sword. Tetsusaiga flashed as it transformed in Inuyasha's hands. But the General held up a hand.

"I am not fighting you. At least, not at the moment. I've simply come to ask something, and to tell you something." Tobias snarled, but he stayed put.

"I need to ask you, where is the last jewel shard?" Nobody spoke. "It's a useless gesture, hiding it from me. I will find it eventually, and by withholding the information you're just dooming more innocent people. I shall go to village after village, seeing if they have it, and if they do not I will destroy them. I am rather good at destruction."

"Don't!" shouted Kagome. The General's eyes flicked to her. "We both know that none of the villages around here has a shard. Don't just kill them, you know they don't have it!"

"Perhaps you are correct. However, it will not change the facts. These people need to be taught a lesson, that I am the strongest one here." He seemed to notice Shippo for the first time.

"I know you..." he said. Shippo whimpered. "You are that brat of a kitsune that those other fox demons were protecting. They are quite decent people...it really was a shame to slaughter them. But, business is business." Shippo started to cry again, and Kagome hugged him, as Inuyasha held her.

"But we are sidetracked. I need to tell you this." He lowered his voice. "I have been rather bored recently, so I have taken it upon myself to arrange a game."

"We're not playing any games with you, General," snarled Tobias.

"Oh, but I think you will," said the General lightly. "It is a race. A race to see which of us can get to the Bone Eater's Well first." Kagome's eyes widened. "You have been constantly moving..." He looked into the distance. "I would say the well is a good three hundred miles from here. But that shall make the journey all the more exciting, won't it."

"The rules are, if one of you should touch the well before me, then I shall leave without harming it. But, if I touch the well first...all bets are off. First, I shall pay a nice visit to your family..." Kagome gasped, and Inuyasha held her closer. "Then I shall turn it to matchwood." He looked into the distance, and spoke only one word.

"Go."

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So, Shippo arrives, and the General angers us all with his sick, twisted games. Things change... Out of curiosity, how many of you think the General will hold to his word if Inuyasha and friends beat him there? I know what he'll do, but I'm not telling you...

Yes or no votes for the lemon will be tabulated, via the highly technical process of me counting them. I will decide later.

Also, there's a really funny website I've been to recently. It's called www.actsofgord.com and it details the lineage of a man referred to as 'The Gord' and his foibles with various customers at his gaming story, Gamer's Edge. It's extremely funny, and I suggest you go to it. Our rich readers might even drop him a few bucks via Paypal.

So, read and REVIEW, you know the drill. REVIEW!


	38. The Chase Is On

Hey la, hey la, the author's back. You know what? Forget about checking every three days. There's no way around that stupid AN, so I'll just leave it there.

So, for the lemon, I've got...*counts*...one 'yes', one 'no', and one 'yes if you really want to'. That's good enough for me. I WILL FORGE ON! And it will come...*smiles*...next chapter. "Gasp!" I told you it would be soon! Now, remember my detailed instructions...

I will create a new fic known as "The Other Swordsman: Chapter 39". It WILL be rated R, so you'll have to look for it. It might take me some time to get my creative juices flowing (so to speak) so you'll likely see it in a week.

THE STORY AWAITS!

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Chapter 38: The Chase Is On

Tobias, again, was the first to move. He leaped through the air towards the General, with his glowing sword held out.

"Take the others and go to the well!" he shouted. "I'll hold off the General!" Inuyasha hoisted Kagome onto his back and took off. Behind him, he could see Kirara flying into the sky, carrying Miroku, Sango, and Shippo.

"You will not be doing much holding off, boy," muttered the General as Tobias soared towards him. He brought out his own sword and held it at the ready. Tobias's sword slammed into his with tremendous force, but the General held his position. He pushed down with even greater force, sending Tobias falling into the dense forest below.

He then began leisurely leaping from treetop to treetop. He did not look like he was exerting himself at all, like he was on a carefree stroll through the woods. Looking below him, the General saw Inuyasha desperately running, carrying Kagome. His eyebrow went up. _Such easy prey...I thought they would actually try._ He let himself fall and landed directly in front of them. Kagome shrieked and Inuyasha skidded to a halt. The General held up a hand.

"You are going the wrong way, you idiot," he said, with the slightest edge to his voice. "The well is to the north." He pointed. Not waiting for the attack that he was sure was coming, Inuyasha sped off in that direction. The General watched them leave.

__

Who knows...this might shape up to be fun after all. He took to the treetops again, jumping from branch to branch. _That is the entire reason I organized this...my life has been dreadfully dull as of late, what with searching for the last jewel shard and only an occasional game of chess to divert me. At least in the future, they have video games._

Tobias charged behind the General and attacked. Unfortunately for the General, he was in the air at the time, and he didn't have nearly as much leverage as before. Thrown off balance, he reversed his fall with a double somersault and landed on his feet. Tobias was right on top of him as he landed.

The General whirled to block Tobias's fierce slash, and returned with another. The General brushed aside Tobias's sword and brought his own towards Tobias's unprotected neck. Tobias leaped high into the air, lashing out with an armored boot on the top of the General's head. The General blinked under the impact, then grabbed Tobias's leg and hurled him away. He then resumed his previous course.

Inuyasha was moving as fast as his legs would take him towards where the General had indicated. The forest was a blur around him...and he could feel Kagome's grip beginning to slip. Quick as lightning, he wrapped his arms around her back to make sure she wouldn't fall off at the high speeds he was moving at. Over his head, he could see the General leaping towards the well, far outpacing him.

Seconds later, Tobias flew through the air to intercept him. The clang and clash of sword on sword was heard as Inuyasha ran beneath them. An awful ripping sound, like metal tearing through flesh, rent the air, and the General dropped down in front of Inuyasha. He pointed his sword at him. It glowed blue, and two balls of energy rushed out of the tip and hit Inuyasha's feet. They coalesced into solid ice; and no matter how Inuyasha struggled, they weren't breaking.

The General moved in, holding up his sword. A roar was heard from behind, and a glowing red bead flew between Inuyasha's legs to impact the ground between him and the General. The ground exploded into flame, shattering the ice and propelling Inuyasha into the air. Dazed but unhurt, he landed on his feet and kept running.

"You do annoy me, boy," said the General. He had not been fazed by the blast of fire. "But, this is all part of the game." He advanced on Tobias and locked swords with him. "You know I always keep my word," he whispered. "But that goes both ways." He moved back abruptly, Tobias overbalanced and fell forward. As he came down, the General brought his elbow down on the back of Tobias's head. Tobias grunted and hit the ground, unconscious.

Inuyasha had taken to the treetops, imitating the General; it got him there faster and he was less vulnerable. Or, at least, so he thought. The General came bounding up behind him, sword out. He was about to strike when a large boomerang whooshed past him. He dodged it easily, but it caused him to miscalculate his velocity, and he missed the treetop and plummeted. A shout from the foliage told everyone Tobias had awoken and was waiting for him.

Kirara swooped nearby and Sango caught Hiraikotsu. She flashed Inuyasha a quick grin, then beckoned him forward. Inuyasha nodded his thanks and sped onwards toward the well.

And so it went for hours; Inuyasha and Kagome running, the General catching up, and Tobias beating him back. Inuyasha and Tobias were tiring, but the General did not seem fatigued in the slightest. He almost smiled as he steadily closed in on the well, every step he took outpacing them further and further.

Inuyasha sprang to the top of an immensely tall tree. Expecting to see nothing but more wilderness, he looked into the distance. He nearly fell off the tree at the sight, and alerted Kagome. She blinked and stared.

It was the well. They were in reach, and the General was nowhere in sight. He had disappeared under a huge firestorm Tobias had let loose, and had not come out again.

"YES!" Inuyasha roared. "We did it!" Without wasting a second more, he jumped to the ground and dashed towards the well. He broke through a stand of trees, he was in the clearing, they would –

The General appeared in front of them, and did a perfect circle kick to Inuyasha's jaw. He flew back, twisting in midair so as not to land on Kagome. He sprawled out and lay dizzy. Kagome jumped from his back into the underbrush.

Tobias leaped into the clearing, but was rebounded by the General's attack and hit the ground next to Inuyasha. Kirara swooped in overhead, but the General did not flinch. He soared into the air and sliced a long gash across Kirara's side. The cat demon yowled and dropped from the sky, her terrified riders struggling to hang on as she fell. They landed with a hard thump and lay still.

Inuyasha and Tobias rose as one and charged the General, attacking with everything they had. A furious battle began as both warriors tried to stop the General from approaching the well. The General dodged Inuyasha's attack and blocked Tobias's. He lashed out with his sword and scored a long scar across Inuyasha's back, but Tobias's sword smashed against his armor and forced him back.

Kagome hid among the bushes. The General was far too close to the well, he could touch it at any second, and then her family would be lost, not to mention her way home. She snuck to the edge of the clearing, not wanting to be spotted, and she crept to the center...

The General's sword glowed blue, and he held it in front of him. A burst of ice exploded from its length, the shards tearing through the combatants' flesh and staggering both of them. The General moved in and knocked them both flat, then turned and jumped to the side of the well.

"I have changed my mind," he said lightly. "Instead of traveling through the well, I will simply destroy it. Far less might happen that way." He raised his sword high, and was about to bring it crashing down on the frail wood...

He stopped.

Everyone stopped.

Time stopped.

The General's sword hung in the air, the tip a millimeter from the edge of the well.

Kagome's hand grasped the rim.

For a full minute, nobody moved a muscle. Even the wind ceased blowing, as if the gods themselves were holding their breath. An unknown emotion flickered through the General's eyes – pain, anger, pride, who could tell? – as he stared a hole into the well and Kagome.

He stirred. He brought his sword away from the well and stepped back.

"I am a man of my word," he said slowly, as though every word was costing him dearly. "You have won. I will not destroy the well, nor will I travel through it." He turned to Tobias and Inuyasha, who were dumbstruck by this turn of events. "However, I find it grating on my nerves to leave you without one last message, and a parting gift."

Inuyasha blinked. "We don't want anything of yours, General," he snarled. Tobias gripped his sword tightly. Miroku, Sango, and Shippo walked unsteadily into the clearing. Sango was carrying Kirara, who was in her untransformed state and bleeding heavily.

"Well, bully for you, then." He jumped to the top of a solemn-looking tree. He held out his sword, and it glowed a faint blue. Clouds began to gather overhead.

"Let the winds of war bring snow," he said, very quietly. A single snowflake floated down through the air, following a lazy path to rest on the tip of Tobias's sword. Seconds later, a mighty torrent of snow and wind descended on the group. The General was lost from sight in the blizzard.

"You guys, come with me!" shouted Tobias. "I can protect you!" He looked around, and counted their party. Only Miroku and Shippo were in his sight. He backed up a little, and nearly tripped over Sango, who was huddled over in the sudden buildup of snow, trying to keep Kirara warm.

"Where's Inuyasha and Kagome?" he yelled. He looked this way and that, but the snow was falling thicker and faster with every minute, and visibility had decreased to the point where only adjacent people could be seen. Cursing, he turned back to his group.

"They can handle themselves!" he shouted. "Come with me! I'll keep you safe!"

"How?" shouted Shippo. "It's fr-fr-freezing!" A small icicle hung from the tip of his nose.

Tobias's sword blazed red. A great flame shot up all along the length of it, so the entire sword was ablaze. "Like this!" he roared. "Stick with me, we can find shelter! We won't last long in one of the General's storms!" As he led the shivering group away, one question repeated itself over and over in his head. _Where the hell are Inuyasha and Kagome?_

__

Where the hell are Tobias and the rest? Inuyasha yelled in his head as he frantically glanced around in the blizzard. Movement caught his eye. Kagome was standing nearby, shivering and shaking from the cold, her pack dangling from her shoulders. Mentally cursing himself for not helping Kagome sooner, he gathered her into his arms. Sure, he was cold; but he could deal with it, being a hanyou and all.

"Kagome?" he whispered. "Are you okay?"

"It's s-s-so c-cold, Inuy-yasha," she mumbled. "Where's...T-T-Tobias?"

"I don't know. But we have to get to shelter soon, or else..." A frightening image flashed through his mind, of Kagome, frozen solid, lying on the snowy ground. He banished the thought from his mind; thinking things like that wasn't going to get him anywhere. "Where'd you get your stuff from?"

"Around..." She gestured faintly, then quickly gathered her arms back together to avoid the biting cold.

And so, gathering Kagome tightly against him, he began to walk into the howling snow, hoping against hope that there was hope to be found.

Half an hour later, Inuyasha was getting desperate. He was beginning to be seriously affected by the cold, much more so than he normally would. He was carrying Kagome in his arms, she being too weak to hang on his back like normal. Her entire body was tinged blue, and she would not stop trembling. Her eyelids flickered.

"Yasha..." she mumbled. "In...ysa." Inuyasha stopped and put his ear close to her mouth, to try and catch what she was saying. He saw her eyelids droop.

"NO!" He shook Kagome roughly until she opened her eyes again. "Don't you dare fucking fall asleep Kagome! You know what will happen!"

"But...I'm so tired..." she mumbled. "And it's so..." She trailed off. _Dammit,_ Inuyasha thought desperately, _if we don't find shelter soon, she's done for! A hut, a cave, a thick stand of trees, **anything!** Have I worked for years to find the courage to tell her I love her, only to have her taken away? Please, gods...don't let her die._ He struggled against the wind and bulled through the feet of snow that had built up on the ground.

And there it was. Inuyasha could not believe his eyes. A small shack, just on the edge of his vision. Using the last of his energy, Inuyasha leaped from the freezing snow and landed near the shack. He forced the door open and slammed it shut again the instant he was inside. He looked around.

The windows were sealed shut. A small closet hung half-open in one corner. There was some scattered and broken wooden furniture, but that was it in terms of supplies. Inuyasha dropped to his knees and thanked the gods for bringing Kagome and him to this place. _Apparently they do care after all._ Inuyasha laid Kagome on the ground, and turned away to make a fire.

He turned back again. She was still freezing, and her wet clothes were only bringing her temperature down lower. She needed to be stripped.

Inuyasha gulped. Sure, they had mated before, but he was still kind of anxious about seeing her naked, especially in such a condition. Realizing that she would only get worse the longer he sat and thought about it, he reached over and began to peel her clothes from her body. She stirred.

"Inu...?" she whispered feebly.

"Shh...it's okay. You're safe now, Kagome. I just need to get you out of your wet clothes." He finished stripping her. As he lifted her shirt, he noticed her flesh was a dull purple color, and shivered himself. He didn't have much time.

He built up a small fire as fast as he could with the remnants of the furniture and put Kagome close to it. Then Inuyasha investigated the closet. There were some dried sticks, some rotten bread, some knitting wool...

A blanket. Inuyasha nearly yelled aloud with joy. A blanket! A dry blanket! He snatched it out of the closet and draped it over Kagome, and bundled her up in it as best he could. It was about then that he noticed his own predicament.

He was also freezing, and when he looked at his skin below his kimono, it was pale blue. He gasped aloud at the condition he had gotten himself into while trying to save Kagome. His clothes were as cold and as wet as hers...there was only one thing to do.

Keeping his underwear on, as that hadn't gotten too wet, Inuyasha quickly disrobed and lay next to the fire. Mentally judging the size of the blanket and Kagome's relative health, he crept over and slowly pulled the blanket over the both of them, him facing away from her. The blanket was swept from his grip and hung loosely over his side. He realized that it wasn't big enough to cover them both, unless they were really close to each other...and facing each other.

Damn. And just when he thought the sexual frustration couldn't get any worse.

He had been rather upset through the General's whole reign of terror, as him and Kagome rarely exchanged any more than a quick kiss, and certainly never mated. It was too dangerous. And now, here he was, lying nearly naked next to Kagome, who was also nearly naked, and he couldn't do one goddamn thing. The gods wanted to keep him alive, but they also wanted to make him suffer a bit, he decided. But if it would keep Kagome healthy...

Inuyasha turned over; and, steeling himself, pressed himself up against Kagome. He gasped at how icy her flesh felt, but he entangled his arms and legs around her and got the blanket surrounding them both. Now there was nothing more to do than to wait.

Tobias stood inside a cave. There was a blazing fire at the entrance, melting the snow before it could reach them, and another near the back. The rest of them were warming up near the other fire, and Miroku had begun cooking something. Tobias sat down and began to think. _I can only hope Inuyasha and Kagome are all right. There's no way to tell...we can only wait until this storm ends; which, knowing the General, won't be for a while. You two are smart...figure something out. I know you will._ He turned back to the others. "So, what is that you're cooking?"

Kagome drifted back to consciousness. Her entire body felt achy, like she had just been slammed into a wall. Slowly, she began to take in her surroundings. She was still extremely cold, but there was a fire next to her, warming her up. All her clothes had vanished. She was lying on the floor, wrapped in a blanket, and pressed up against something very warm...Her eyes snapped open and she turned to face Inuyasha.

He jumped a little at her sudden movement, but did not dislodge the blanket. "Umm...Kagome? You're awake? This isn't what it looks like..." She smiled weakly.

"I know, Inuyasha. We just needed to warm up. Why are you so worried about it anyway?" She shifted a little to get closer to the fire. "We've made love in the past, why are you embarrassed now to be this close?"

"Well..." Inuyasha looked sideways. "It's just that...ever since the General showed up, we haven't done much of anything together. I thought you were too upset...and you were," he added, seeing the pained look on Kagome's face. "And now, that you nearly froze to death...I just didn't think it was..." He searched for the right word. "...appropriate."

"Inuyasha," she said affectionately. She kissed him on the nose. "I wouldn't worry about it. I'm better now...it still hurts, but I am much better than I was out there. I know you wouldn't do anything I didn't want you to do." She yawned. "I am tired now, though. I think we should both get some sleep."

"Yeah...sleep." Inuyasha finally allowed his eyes to close and contented himself with savoring the feel of Kagome's finally-warm flesh next to his.

Some amount of time later, Kagome woke up. Inuyasha still looked asleep, so she quieted herself. She looked out the window and frowned. If anything, it was snowing even HARDER than before! Just how long was this storm going to last? At least she had brought her pack with her... She nudged against Inuyasha and nearly gasped as she felt something against her...something that she instantly knew what it was. She cocked an eyebrow. So he was aroused in his sleep? That gave her a devilish idea.

Wasn't this kind of like the last two times they made love? He had pulled her from a terrible fate, pulled her from unconsciousness into his loving embrace? She smiled evilly. _Well, two can play at that game,_ she thought seductively. She leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. He mumbled something but remained asleep. Kagome brought one arm around his chest and back, to draw him as close to her as possible, and kissed him again. She deepened the kiss, teasing his lips with her tongue, while her other hand sought out one of his ears and began to massage it.

Inuyasha gradually came awake to a very pleasant feeling coursing through him. His mouth was covered by something extremely warm, and his ears were twitching with pleasure. His eyes opened to see Kagome's face right in front of his own, kissing his lips, and from the feeling he guessed she was rubbing his ears as well.

He brought both his arms around her to press her even closer to him. As she opened her mouth in shock, he took the opportunity to plunge his tongue deep into her velvety cavern, teasing the roof of her mouth with the tip of his tongue, playfully rubbing up against her tongue with his.

He broke the kiss and smiled at her. "Kagome..." he began gently.

"Inuyasha," she said, more firmly. He quieted. "The storm hasn't gotten any better, so there's no going outside. Our clothes are still wet. We're basically stuck here, naked, under the blanket until the storm stops, which probably won't be for hours. What do you think I'm going to say next?"

Inuyasha nodded. "You want to mate?"

"No." Inuyasha was shocked. "I want to make love to you." _Oh. What's the difference again?_ "Okay," he said, purring at her words.

"I'm sorry, but mate just sounds so...so animal. I want to feel you inside me, Inuyasha. And I want it soon." Inuyasha was thrown at her words. Kagome never spoke like this! But, then again, he wasn't complaining, as he leaned in and began the kiss once more.

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And you can see where the lemon would begin. That is where I shall leave off. Read, REVIEW, and enjoy the future lemon!


	39. Redirection

To read this chapter, go to my profile page and click on my other story. Just go to my new story to read the chapter. No, I'm not putting it here. Do I look crazy to you? Read it already. Why are you still here? This makes no sense. I like swords. Black Mage is evil. GO TO THE CHAPTER ALREADY!!! What, you like wasting my time?


	40. It's That Darn Plot Again

HELLLLLLOOOOO!!!!!! Well, hail and how do. I haven't seen you in a while. Sorry about that...I just have the worst case of writer's block in the known universe. I'm leaving tomorrow for a LONG trip that will last until Sunday LATE night, so no updates then. But I'll get you something before next Wednesday! That's a promise I can keep.

I have decided, to the delight of my fans, to respond to each individual review. BUT! Only the reviews that actually have substance to them ("The story r0xx0rs!", while nice, is lacking in actual content) will be answered. So, if you want a response, then make your review nice and long, and put questions in if you want, I don't care, I'll do anything for the fans. (Note: I will not actually do anything. Please, no obscene things.)

Kai19: I changed that bit, if you'll care to read the story over. Actually, this IS my first lemon (remember the beginning of the story, when I said I couldn't write citrus content? Ha!), and as for how I got my information...that's personal. Sorry. ;)

Kagome might blush and stutter at such a thing, but as you'll see, there won't be time for tea and small talk when the two groups finally reunite. Thanks for reviewing!

Lady Banshee 999: Thanks ever so much.

slvrstarlight: I know ff.net is on the hunt, but the chances of them finding this one are astronomical. And if they do, well, I'll handle it, that's all. I'll figure something out. I always do. Also, I cannot figure out how mm.org works.

What? You haven't read the beginning?! Well, why are you reading this? I said right there in the summary, it wouldn't make any sense!

Hanyou-Kagome: As I said previously, I changed that bit. Thanks.

Ryguy5387: You...you read...the ENTIRE STORY...in one sitting? I am duly impressed. I hereby proclaim you, "Guy/Girl With Far Too Much Time On His/Her Hands". But thanks for your devotion.

Shiro-Okami: Well, that's one opinion. Obviously not the prevailing one, as you might see. But, you're free to dislike the lemon.

Why hasn't Jamie emailed you back? Well, that might have something to do with the fact that none of us know where the HELL he is. The whole crisis thing a few chapters ago was us trying to locate him and failing admirably. He's called once, and I talked to him, but he won't tell anyone where he is. Oh well. It's his life. He told me not to worry and I trust him.

Miroku9555: Ramen is noodle soup with vegetables. It's the only thing Inuyasha ever eats. Kagome has like a million containers of it in her pack.

STORY!

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Chapter 40: It's That Darn Plot Again

Tobias stood up, blinking his eyes. He hadn't really slept, but just rested for a few hours while Miroku and Sango kept things running. He needed rest, having constantly traveled for over four weeks straight. _Although my personal best is seven years without a break..._ he thought grimly as he gathered himself together.

"Hey, Miroku?" Silence. "Sango? Shippo?" Nothing. He looked around the cave, but they were not there. _They're probably near the front._ He walked over to where the cooking fire was and stopped dead.

Blood. Everywhere. Covering the fire pit, the bedding, the floor and the walls. Frantically, Tobias looked around but saw nothing. Then a drop of blood landed on his head. Fearing the worst, he looked up.

The mutilated corpses of Sango, Miroku, and Shippo were frozen to the ceiling, still bloody. _Oh, God..._ Tobias rushed outside, only to be struck by a wave of nausea that threatened to overwhelm him.

Kagome and Inuyasha were entangled in each other's arms, similarly dead, with Tetsusaiga stuck through them like a toothpick. Tobias whirled, tears in his eyes, to see the General standing calmly by, cleaning his sword.

"You!" he shrieked. "What have you done?!" His voice was unnatural, it didn't sound like him at all. The General looked up and smiled.

"I was looking for them and the shard. Unfortunately, they did not have it, so by process of..." he smirked, "...elimination, I deduced that you have it. Would you please give it up?"

Blinded by rage and pain, Tobias rushed the General and brought his sword down on him, but the General was no longer there. He heard the fluttering of a cape behind him and turned quickly, but not quickly enough. The General's sword flashed as it sliced off his hand at the wrist. The sword clattered uselessly to the ground. Oddly, there was no pain, only an awful numbness. Tobias dove for it, but the General caught him by the throat in an iron grip.

"And now our destinies are fulfilled," he said in a low whisper. "Goodbye, Tobias son of Tiberius." His sword drove itself deep into Tobias's heart.

Tobias sat up with a cry of horror, sweating, and panting like he had just run a marathon. A quick glance around the cave revealed Miroku, Sango, and Shippo eating breakfast; all shocked by his sudden awakening. The nightmare played itself over and over in his head, but the only thought filling Tobias's mind was, _I **slept?!**_

"Tobias! Are you all right?" Sango put down her bowl and came over quickly. She put a hand on his forehead. "You're very warm...are you feeling unwell?"

"No..." He waved his hand in what he hoped was a dismissive gesture as he desperately tried to calm himself down. He hadn't slept since...well, he hadn't really slept in centuries. He had been knocked out several times in the last few months, but that didn't really count. Tobias rubbed his palm against his forehead. It had seemed so real...and to him, who hadn't dreamt in a thousand years, he hadn't been expecting such a thing in the slightest. He forced himself back to reality.

"How long was I out?" he said, struggling to make his tone sound normal.

"A whole day. The snow stopped an hour ago, but we didn't want to wake you." Sango turned back to her food. "There's breakfast if you want it."

"Yeah...okay. I'm kind of hungry." He joined with the others, eating slowly but with his mind not at all on his meal. _Why? **Why** did I sleep? This is SO not a good sign...I might have some sort of disease. But I thought I was immune to diseases! Agh...none of this makes any sense at all._

Back at the cabin...

The snow had finally stopped. The sunlight peeked through a gap in the packed powder, edging through the grime-coated window to warm the two lovers sleeping in each other's embrace by the now-dead fire.

Kagome blinked and yawned. She looked around blearily, not completely remembering anything in her sleep-fogged mind. Her body registered a very warm presence right next to her, and she glanced in that direction to see Inuyasha's face, very close to hers. It hit her that they were both naked, and all the events of the previous night rushed back to her. Kagome blushed so much that her extremities paled from lack of blood, and she closed her eyes, simultaneously embarrassed at the things they had done and full of love that she could DO such things with Inuyasha.

Inuyasha was sleeping more soundly than he had in years. All night, he had dreamt of Kagome; how it had felt to be buried inside of her, how she had responded to his every caress, how his love for her seemed to fill every crevice of his soul. In his slumber, he pulled her closer to him, imagining that they were in their own separate world, to be together forever.

Alas, all good things must come to an end, and it was reluctantly that Inuyasha opened his eyes to look around. He and Kagome were in each other's arms and bundled up in the blanket. The fire had gone out, but a bed of glowing coals still remained. It suddenly hit him that he hadn't eaten in at least a full day, and his growling stomach served only to exacerbate this. He turned to Kagome to see if she was awake.

What he saw was Kagome, eyes closed, face almost purple. His thoughts zoomed back to the previous day, when she had been purple with cold from exposure. _Oh shit!_ He panicked and hugged her as close to him as possible. She shrieked from the sudden contact and jerked reflexively. Inuyasha was stunned, both from the fact that she was QUITE warm and that she was awake. Instinctively, he tried to stop her twitching by trapping her legs between his and holding her upper body to his torso. She calmed down, spooked by the sudden movement but relaxing in what was rapidly becoming a very arousing embrace.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha breathed. "Are you all right?"

"Umm..." Kagome tried to focus her thoughts, but they scattered in favor of focusing on Inuyasha's warm body holding hers. Unconsciously, she moved into his embrace, as he took in a sharp breath.

"Mmm...Kagome..." whispered Inuyasha. He lowered his head and planted kisses on her mating mark. Kagome gasped and shifted her hips back into his, but stopped suddenly and grimaced.

"Kagome? What's wrong? Are you hurt?" Inuyasha turned her around to face him and looked at her.

Kagome moved her hips again and winced. She was very sore. "Now you ask..." she said, rather huffily. "You weren't concerned last night, when you were slamming into me so hard I thought I was going to break!" Inuyasha smiled slightly and relaxed his grip on her.

"Are you all right?" he said softly. Kagome calmed down a little, looking into his eyes.

"I'll be fine. I-" She looked out the window. The snow was no longer falling. "Inuyasha! The blizzard stopped. We can go find the others now."

The look on Inuyasha's face clearly said _Do we have to?_ But he got up and started to get dressed again. Fortunately their clothes had dried overnight. Kagome made them some ramen from one of the remaining containers in her bag; several of them had gotten soggy and disgusting.

Interestingly enough, there was no snow on the ground. Not a snowflake remained, nor did any of the effects of the blizzard. It was as if the entire thing had never happened. They were both mightily puzzled, but simply accepted it and moved on.

Since the snow was gone, their friends' scent was around, however faint, and Inuyasha picked up the trail. He sped along, carrying Kagome, to a small clearing. As they neared it, a voice came out from behind a tree.

"Stop!" It was Tobias. He sounded kind of lethargic. They stopped. "I wouldn't come much nearer if I were you." He was apparently sitting and leaning up against the tree, facing away from them; Kagome could see his legs lying on the ground in front of them.

"Why not?" said Inuyasha, a little gruffly. "We've been looking for you all day."

A few seconds of silence went by before Tobias responded. "We came looking for you," he said slowly. "But there's something I probably should have told you about before."

"What? Spit it out already."

"As much as I've tried to keep this a secret, people other than you and the General know that I have this sword. There have been...organizations. Groups of people that have tried to defeat me and take my sword."

"Wait," said Inuyasha. "You mean, you were so secretive you didn't tell us, and yet all these other guys knew? That kind of pisses me off."

"What makes you think I told them? I _do_ try to keep that sword a secret, you know." Tobias's legs shifted a little. "But anyway, like I was saying. I didn't mention it at the time, but the lot that attacked me in your time was all part of the Brotherhood of the Blade...they've been tracking me for about seven hundred years now."

"Seven hundred years?" said Kagome, surprised.

"Yeah. The sons' sons or something like that keep joining on and following in their slain fathers' legacies. It aggravates me. Why can't they just leave well enough alone?"

"What are you babbling about? And why are you leaning against that tree? Just come out here and explain. And," added Inuyasha, glancing around, "where's the rest? Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kirara, where the hell are they? You didn't lose them too, did you?"

"No, they're right here..." Tobias's right arm gestured vaguely into the distance. "You probably can't see them right now, though. Like I said, they've been after me for centuries."

"What does this have to do with you now?" said Kagome, a little apprehensively. She crept forward a bit and tried to get a good look at Tobias. She gasped at what she saw. He was indeed sitting against a tree, but his arms were hanging limp and useless at his sides. About thirty darts protruded from his exposed neck. There was a strange smile on his face as he slowly swiveled his eyeballs to look at her.

"They found me," he said simply. Inuyasha came up beside Kagome and recoiled. A call came from the foliage.

"Now, brothers! Attack!" Darts flew from the trees and bushes. One struck Kagome, and she fell unconscious. Inuyasha howled with rage and tore off the few darts that were stuck to him, but dozens more rushed towards him and buried themselves in his flesh. The combined effect of the potions overwhelmed him. He took one staggering step and fell.

About forty cloaked figures emerged from the surrounding trees. "A good hunt, comrades," one of them said. His cloak was white, while everyone else's was red. "The half-demon nearly ruined all...grab the others and load them up." Some of the men reached into the bushes and took out the stricken figures of Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kirara. They hefted them over their shoulders and began to carry them away. "Now, to get the spoils of victory." He reached toward the sword on Tobias's side, but Tobias weakly reached out a hand to stop him. He was still oddly smiling.

"Not yet, Maurius," he said, almost lightheartedly. "Were you to take this sword now, the darts would surely kill me. Wouldn't want that, would you." Maurius stayed his hand, expression changing swiftly from gleeful to furious. "I don't even know what would happen if the chosen one of the sword should drop dead. Perhaps the sword itself would take its revenge on you."

"Be that as it may." Maurius stood up and motioned for some men. They picked up Tobias, straining under the weight of his armor, and began to carry him off.

"This is your group's twenty-fifth attempt, Maurius," called Tobias. "Would you like a gift of silver?"

"No, but a respite from your talking would serve nicely." Maurius picked up a hefty rock and bashed Tobias over the head. His eyes closed and he lay unconscious...still smiling.

Tobias woke up. He was bound in great chains, hanging off a wall in some cell somewhere. His armor was gone. Next to him, similarly chained to the wall, were his friends. Inuyasha was in chains so thick Tobias wondered how any humans could lift them. _What is it with these guys and chaining people to the wall? This has got to be the eighteenth time I've had it done to me._

Maurius walked in. "Ah," he said cheerfully. "You lived. Good for us...seeing as your power is now mine." In his hand, he brandished Tobias's sword. Tobias's eyes widened imperceptibly at seeing this, but somehow kept his cool.

"I'm not impressed. How many times have we gotten this far? You know how it is. You gloat on and on about your shiny new toy, I somehow snatch it out of your hand or a friend comes in, and I escape. What makes you think this time will be any different?" Maurius smiled, a terrible chilling smile that made Tobias's blasé vanish in a flash.

"Because this time, oh Tobias, I have figured out _exactly_ how to use this sword. Before, I thought just waving it around would produce results. But now I know that rage powers it. And when I'm powered, you're in serious trouble." Tobias looked stunned.

"Don't be so surprised," Maurius chided. "I figured it out eventually. It's just trial and error, that's all. You don't have any friends to help you, they're all in chains. You can't possibly grab it out of my hand. Even your demon friend is restrained." A noise in Inuyasha's direction made both men turn towards it.

Inuyasha had woken up and was raging and struggling against his bonds. "You fucking _assholes!!_" he howled. "I'll _kill you!_ If you hurt Kagome at ALL, I'll-"

"Oh, that pretty girl you were with? I haven't done anything yet..." Maurius smiled again. "But now that you've given me the idea, I think I shall enjoy myself a bit before I kill her." As it turned out, that was exactly the wrong thing to say.

Inuyasha screamed and wrenched one arm so hard that the chains ripped out of the wall. Maurius lost his grin and bolted towards Inuyasha. With incredible speed, he slammed Inuyasha's head into the wall. Bloodied, Inuyasha fell unconscious again. Maurius turned to some men nearby.

"Put that chain back in the wall, and reinforce the whole structure! I _cannot_ have him escaping." He turned back to Tobias. "As I was saying..."

Tobias looked horror-struck by this turn of events. A flicker of hope had sparked in him at seeing Inuyasha almost break free, but now that he was out again...Maurius was all too right. Tobias had no allies left. In the past, Maurius had been an idiot and tried to activate the sword in a number of ridiculous ways, all of which culminated in Tobias's escape. But now that he finally knew the secret...Tobias's hopes had been crushed.

"What, no more snide remarks? Just because you've lost all ability to escape and will die in the next few minutes doesn't mean you should get depressed about it." Maurius laughed, a horrible laugh that stung Tobias's ears. "Oh yes...I've been wanting to do this for seventeen years." The sword flashed in his hands. Tobias stiffened and jerked his body back as its impossibly sharp edge sliced a thin path across his torso. He did not make a sound, though; he would not give Maurius that pleasure.

"How does it feel, sword-master? How does it feel to fall to your own blade?" Maurius hit him again, drawing a long line of blood across his stomach. "Now you know how my brothers felt when you slaughtered them!" A slash to the chest. "You should have killed me when you had the chance!!"

Maurius hit him again, and again, and again. The sword sliced through his entire body, causing white-hot channels of pain to run over him. As the sword pierced his eye, Tobias lost his composure and screamed in agony. Maurius laughed again and slammed his head into the wall. Sure his skull was cracked, and unable to summon any more resistance; Tobias let his head flop forward and waited for the end. Maurius prepared for the final stroke when a cloaked man ran up to him, breathless.

"My lord," he said, panting. "There is an intruder in our castle!"

"An intruder?" roared Maurius.

"Yes, my lord. He is demanding release of the prisoners." Tobias lifted his head as much as he could, which wasn't much. Who was this intruder? Who did he have left that knew who he was, much less cared about him? Maurius turned away from Tobias.

"Then he shall die for his insolence. To arms, my brothers! Kill the intruder on sight!" He roared into battle, disappearing behind the stone corridor as hordes of men followed him. 

The battle cries dissolved into screams.

Shrieks and cries rung from the corridors and the sound of metal cutting through flesh rang loudly in Tobias's ears. He wanted to cover his ears, to block out the awful noise, but he couldn't. The sounds echoed through the entire cell and reverberated around the room. A roar Tobias barely recognized as Maurius's was heard and the furious _clang_ of metal on metal pierced his ears.

Tobias wanted nothing more than unconsciousness or death. The pain was worse than almost anything he'd ever experienced. Tears dripped from his one whole eye as he thought of his family. _I'll never get a chance to avenge you...I'll just die here, while your murderer goes on to kill other people. I'm sorry, everyone. I tried. I tried as much as I could, but I failed._ All at once, the sounds stopped.

Maurius's head, an expression of twisted shock on its face, rolled sickeningly past the cell entrance. Tobias was too weak to fight the nausea that overcame him, and he barely managed to move himself out of the way in time to vomit. Footsteps clanked through the hallway, and a figure came into sight.

Despite the fact that Tobias thought he was as low as he could go, despite the fact that he would welcome death with open arms and was ready to sacrifice his quest just to stop the pain, despite the fact that he had hit absolutely rock bottom, Tobias felt a terrible sinking feeling.

The General stood in the doorway.

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Ooooooooh, that SUCKS, doesn't it. Just when you thought you've hit bottom, people throw you shovels. What will he do? WHAT _WILL_ HE _DO?_ Find out next time, in the exciting chapter titled "The Entire Party Gets Killed". (j/k)

Seriously, what do you think he'll do? Review and respond! Make them reviews big and substantial, and I'll answer them! Until next time...REVIEW!!!!!!!


	41. Humiliations Galore

AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!! **I'M SORRY!!!** I promised this to you by Wednesday, and instead, it gets out the following Monday late night! I'VE LOST MY FANBASE! WAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!

Ahem. Composure resumed. But I do profusely apologize for missing the deadline. You would not believe some of the stuff that's been cropping up around here as of late. That, coupled with _Battlefield: 1942_, writers' block, and just plain laziness; has caused this horrendous a delay and this short a chapter. But don't worry! If the next chapter isn't at least 8 pages long, I'll eat my computer monitor, piece by piece. And it will be here in ONE WEEK! *Shouts to self* YOU HEAR THAT, MYSTERIOUS VOICES?? ONE WEEK! NONE OF YOUR STALLING WILL HELP YOU!

Review responses:

Kai19: You know, it's one thing when I start predicting what my characters will do next based on their personality. It's quite another when A READER predicts what my characters will do next based on their personality. You're amazingly accurate with your hypotheses.

Kagome...umm...I guess she's somewhere else. Who's to say? Well, me, for one, but... And yes, Sesshomaru and Koga both appear again at least once each. I haven't discarded them like used snotrags. And...SPOILERS...we might just hear of the return of a certain undead miko...

hersheykiss1012: Yes, I'm just a twisty-turny type of writer, aren't I. I like throwing curves at you readers. It's fun to watch you squirm! Err, right.

StreetRats: You read it in one sitting, too? Geez...it isn't THAT much of a compelling read. Here's the next chapter. Usually, I don't take nearly this long to update, but I've been stupid and haven't written.

AssassinReiX: Yes, I'm just an evil, evil man.

anonymous: Love the compliments...but in the future, could you confine lemon comments to the lemon story? It's not exactly public knowledge that I've written a sex scene and I'd like to keep it that way. (I live in a conservative community.)

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Chapter 41: Humiliations Galore

"Hello there, boy," the General said quietly. He wiped some blood off his sword and slowly walked into the room. "Apparently, my blizzard did little to deter you, but you fall right into the clutches of these buffoons instead. You were correct about one thing, though." He walked right up in front of Tobias. "You are going to escape."

Tobias, though nearly dead, still managed to be shocked by this. "Escape...?" he hissed. "How? You'll kill me in a few seconds..." He looked around and felt a sharp pain from the wounds in his neck and throat.

"You would like to think so, would you not?" The General paced slowly around the room, keeping his eye on Tobias the whole time. "If I were here to kill you, I would have done it already. You know I favor efficiency above most other things. No, I have come here to have a nice chat.

"What...?" mumbled Tobias.

"To talk. We have not sat and talked for some centuries now. This is likely my last opportunity to converse with you, in a situation where you are not blindly attacking. Seeing as you are chained and bleeding to death, I theorize we have some minutes yet."

"You...I..."

"Coherency is not your strongest attribute at the moment, I see. Perhaps it is the blood loss, or the sleeping potion still coursing through your system. No matter. You can still listen. There will be no need to talk. Except..." He leaned in closer. "Where is the last jewel shard?"

Tobias was staggered. Could the General know, now, where it was? Hadn't Maurius relieved him of it? He shifted his weight a little and felt the small shard against his chest, still in his pocket. It was so close...so close and yet so far. "I dunno," he said finally.

"You expect me to believe that?" The General resumed his pacing. "I know that you and your friends know where it is. Only, now, I am in a bit of a quandary. Your companions are all unconscious, and there does not seem to be a way to extract the information from you. I could torture you, but you are already so close to death that any additional damage would propel you over the edge. Perhaps I could torture one of your friends..." Tobias stiffened. "But, as previously proved, you are not at your mental peak right now and could probably not give me the answer even if you wished." _The General isn't wrong often, but he is now...he underestimates me. He always underestimated me._

"Why did you..." Tobias spat some blood to the side. "...come here?"

"Very simple. It was child's play to track you and your compatriots down, and it should be obvious to you – even now – why I came. Maurius and his 'brothers' would have cheerfully slaughtered you to become the new masters of the sword. We cannot have that, now can we?" The General stepped back a little. "Hunting you down and the anticipation of our last battle has been my driving force for all the millennia I have wandered this planet. It would be a horrible shame to arrive and find that somebody else killed you, would it not?"

"So...you wanted...to kill me yourself. Why not...now?" Tobias rasped. He was bleeding very heavily and didn't expect to survive for more than a few minutes.

"You must be in worse shape than I thought. As I said, the thought of our final battle has been a great source of inspiration for me. I do not want anyone else to kill you, nor do I want to kill you like this. There is no honor, no glory, no redemption..." He paused. "No _fun_." His lips curved slightly upwards.

"Fun?" Tobias couldn't believe his ears. "_Fun_?!"

"Very much so. It is a source of great fun to have a serious duel with you. We both know we have not actually fought in over a thousand years." He walked towards the door and paused in the doorframe, facing away. "If you have it in you, I would very much appreciate information about the last shard."

"I told you...I don't know..." groaned Tobias. The General did not turn around.

"Do not think you are saving anyone by not telling, hoping that I will give up or some such thing. It is very simple. If I do not find the shard with you, I shall be forced to assume that it is in the possession of a demon, and therefore I will begin hunting down demons. Once all of the demons have been destroyed, I will assume that one of the human villages has it; so I will destroy every village until I find it. If I still do not find it..." He turned towards Tobias. "Then I will _know_ you have it, and will slice you all to very small pieces to find it. Whether you tell me or not is irrelevant. You are simply delaying the inevitable and causing more deaths." He walked closer to Tobias.

"Tell me," he said quietly, "where the last jewel shard is, and you have my solemn word I will not harm; directly or indirectly; any human, demon, or other creature from this era. Do you accept?" Tobias growled at him.

"You may...keep your word...but you always...find a...loophole somewhere." Tobias coughed up some more blood. He was certain the end was near. "I'm not..._from this era_...and neither is Kagome..." He looked away. "Besides...you'll just go to...the modern era...and kill people there."

The General sighed. "You are too clever for your own good, boy. Perhaps I was mistaken about your incoherency. There is nothing stopping me from doing that already. Do you seriously think that anyone in the so-called 'modern era' is capable of stopping me if I decided to go on a rampage?" Tobias did not respond. "I thought not. In any case, if you are left as you are now, you will die shortly, and I cannot have that." He went to pull down Tobias. Tobias recoiled.

"Don't you touch me," he hissed.

"Then we shall do it the difficult way." Tobias cringed as he felt the General's sword pressed against his throat. He offered no resistance as the General ripped the chains holding him out of the wall and carried him out of the building, never actually touching him, just gripping the chains. He dumped him unceremoniously on the ground out of sight of the building, then disappeared into the woods again. A few minutes later, he came back, carrying in turn; Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango and Shippo, and last Kagome. He piled up their unconscious forms and turned to walk away.

"General!" choked out Tobias. "What about..."

"Oh, yes..._that_." He went back into the woods and came back a few minutes later.

"I cannot seem to actually touch your sword, boy. If I try, it burns me terribly, so picking it up is not be an option. However, there are ways around such obstacles..." He threw Tobias's sword onto the ground. Tobias nearly lost it again when he saw Maurius's severed hand still clinging to it.

"Why...?" he said weakly. The General paused.

"To humiliate you, boy. Imagine the guilt and the pain that this will cause you...to be saved by the man you have sworn to kill. The irony is delicious. I could not have done better had I planned out the whole encounter. Besides...you know how much I enjoy causing you pain. It satisfies me to a degree the likes of which I can find nowhere else." He began to glow blue. "Your friends should wake up in a few hours. Plenty of time for you to think of a story as to how you escaped." He vanished.

Tobias pried Maurius's cold fingers from the hilt of his sword and took it into his own hand. The instant he did, a great warmth seemed to fill his whole body, and he could feel the pain soothing and the bleeding slowing. He lay on the ground, deep in thought, for a long time.

Inuyasha awoke. He was lying face-up on the grass. The sun was setting. For a moment, he didn't remember much about what had gone on. He sniffed the air, trying to get a bearing on his surroundings.

__

Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kirara, Kagome...**KAGOME?!** He jumped up and ran to where Kagome was lying. She, along with the rest, was unconscious but breathing. Suddenly, it all hit him. _Tobias lying on the tree...the darts...that bastard who threatened Kagome! Wait...where's Tobias?_ He looked around and spotted Tobias. He was sitting on top of a nearby hill, facing away. A stench floated around him that Inuyasha recognized as a 'cigarette'. Carrying Kagome, he walked over and sat next to Tobias.

"What the hell happened?" he demanded. Tobias was silent. He took a drag on his cigarette. "How did we get out? What happened to you? What happened to Kagome?" Tobias did not look at Inuyasha, but he responded in a monotone that eerily resembled the General's.

"I'd prefer it if we didn't talk about it." Inuyasha stared at him.

"What's with you?" he demanded. Tobias exhaled some smoke and looked into the setting sun.

"Look at it," he said quietly. "The sunset. It really is beautiful, isn't it? The lights and the colors, the way the sun seems to just explode in a radiance of light before sinking quietly into the night. Like the sun is using up everything it has to stay in the sky, but eventually fades into darkness."

"What are you talking about? Who cares about the sunset? Are the others all right? Is Kagome okay? Did they-"

"Kagome's fine. The others are fine. I managed to break free and escape." He took his cigarette from his lips. "You know something interesting...I've been captured by them before."

"What are you babbling about?" demanded Inuyasha. His patience was wearing thin; his mate could be hurt and Tobias was talking about a fucking sunset!

"I recovered my sword, that one time, and broke the chains on the wall. The guards rushed me, but I just knocked them out, I didn't kill them. I normally have no qualms about killing, but something...something just didn't feel right about it then. I tried to escape and was immediately lost in the passages."

Inuyasha snorted and looked away, but Tobias soldiered on.

"I ducked into a room and slammed the door. I thought maybe I could knock down a wall and escape that way. When I turned to the far wall, I saw a little girl." Inuyasha paused and looked back at Tobias. "She seemed terrified of me. I sheathed my sword and called out to her.

"'Hey, there,' I said softly. 'Don't be scared. I won't hurt you.' She still looked frightened, but she relaxed a little. 'The men are looking for me, so I'm gonna have to leave in just a few seconds. Don't tell anyone you saw me, all right?' She nodded, but her lip quivered.

"'Is Daddy okay?' she whimpered. This stopped me right in my tracks. I had killed a few of them before I was captured...how was I to tell if her father was one of them? 'Umm...' I stalled while I thought. 'What's your daddy's name?'

"'The other men call him Rufus,' she said. I relaxed. Rufus was one of the guards I had incapacitated. 'He's fine,' I whispered. 'But I have to go now.' I burst through the wall and ran. I never heard from her again." Tobias took one last puff on his cigarette and ground it into the earth. "The reason I tell you this is that the people I kill...they're people. They have wives and children and friends just like anyone else. They're actual people." He sat in silence for a while. "But to the General they aren't."

"What?" Inuyasha was a little surprised at this new subject.

"To the General, the people he kills are just nameless and faceless things, that have no connection to anything. He doesn't think of them as actual human beings. He kills just for the sake of killing. He's a monster!" Tobias made as to stand up, but shrank back onto the ground again. "He's a monster," he whispered.

"And you are wrong," whispered another voice, so faintly even Inuyasha could not hear it. The General stood silently in a small clump of trees far from them. "That is not why I kill. You are as misguided as ever, boy. But things will be rectified soon enough." He vanished.

"Still, even in the midst of all this...there's a sunset." Tobias lit another cigarette.

"You haven't done those things for a while. I thought you ran out," said Inuyasha.

"I was saving some for just such an emergency." He breathed deeply, then stopped. "Someone's around here," he whispered.

"Very astute of you." Tybalt leaped down and landed in front of the two warriors, swords extended.

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Dear me. He shows up at the most inopportune times, doesn't he? Oh well. Fight scene in the next chapter! REVIEW! And I won't take NEARLY as long this time around! Ja!


	42. Power Overwhelming

Hiya! In this exciting installment, the author **actually keeps his promises!** Well, sort of. If 10:30 PM Monday night isn't one week from Monday, then I'll print out this entire story and EAT it. In any case, I'm back again, with some fresh story material. This chapter, I think, is MUCH much better than the last one. I was really 'on' while writing it.

There's something special about it as well. Notice the chapter number. Not the number on the Chapter Select bar, the chapter number below near the name. That's right, Chapter 42. 42 is a number that's very meaningful to me. It's the Answer to the Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything. (To see where this totally nonsensical BS came from, read Douglas Adams's _The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy_ trilogy. The fifth book came out a few years ago, with a blurb below the title reading, _The Fifth in the Increasingly Inaccurately Named Hitchhiker's Trilogy_. It's fun stuff, even if you don't like sci-fi.) Anyway, 42 is the perfect number...but this is not the perfect chapter. Such is the natural perversity of the universe.

Anyway, I've some reviews to answer. Tally ho!

Kai19: Tobias doesn't have time to pass the sword. Tybalt's back! That dastardly rival...always showing up at the most inopportune moments. Almost forgotten about him, hadn't you? HADN'T YOU?

About the demons dying, I hadn't thought of that. But it shall be taken into consideration.

...You know, I can't decide if it's a good or a bad thing that you did. That one paragraph about the General's desires for the jewel...it's making me rethink entire huge chunks of the plot. Thanks a freaking lot. That's 50 pages I have to rewrite now. /sarcasm Seriously, thanks for bringing that up. It's an excellent point. Why _does_ the General want the jewel? He's secure enough in his own power that he probably doesn't feel the need for any more...maybe I should ask him. (JOKE, to you slow ones.)

Yeah, the Kikyo issue is a bit of a sticky wicket right about now. As are the other demons. You might see one in this chapter! Hell, you WILL see one. How's that for fast delivery on promises?

Yeah, I gave those damn voices the ol' Gary Thunder one-two! One case of Jolt Cola, and two bottles of Jim Beam. That'll either shut up those blasted voices, or kill me dead. One of the two. Either way...blessed SILENCE!

Ryguy5387: Thanks for the compliment, but personally, I think it's even better when there's a good chapter that DOESN'T take forever to come out with. Like this one!

hersheykiss1012: Yes. Yes, you should.

hanyou: At the least opportune moment, of course. When else?

I keep feeling like I've forgotten to add something important...well, if I have, and I remember it, I'll add it. (Yes, now I remember. For those who have played _Starcraft_ ever [HIGHLY recommended], the topic title is the code for invincible units! [in addition to something said by the Archons] There you go! Cheat your way through Single-Player Mode...but don't expect it to work online!) STORY!

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Chapter 42: Power Overwhelming

"Go away, Tybalt," Tobias said quietly.

"You think you'll get rid of me that easily? No sir. We're having a battle, you and I, and we're battling right now!" Tybalt danced around Tobias, with mock thrusts and feints, trying to get his attention. Tobias merely stared ahead.

"I'm not in the mood for a battle right now," he said. "Please, just leave."

"And I was all ready to have some fun tonight." Tybalt tried to keep up his canny front, but anyone could tell that he was bewildered by Tobias's reaction. What was the cause of this new behavior? Regardless, Tybalt soldiered on.

"Normally, Tybalt, I would take you up on such an offer. Right now, however, I'm just unfit for battling. My heart isn't in it."

"I couldn't give a rat's ass about what your heart is in or not. All I know is, unless you fight me, your heart will be impaled on the end of my blade!" Tybalt lunged at Tobias and slashed at him once. Tobias jerked as the sharp sword cut a long, red line over his throat and face. Still he did not move from his spot.

"Attack me if you will, but I will not fight you." Enraged, Tybalt attacked Tobias again, opening up another long wound. Tobias was as impassive as a statue.

As suddenly as a rock breaking the tranquil surface of a pond, Kagome came awake. Her limbs felt stiff, and her eyelids fluttered with sleep, but she was conscious. Beside her, she could see her friends begin to gain consciousness as well. She sat up, a bit groggy.

__

What happened back there??? she thought worriedly. Looking around, Kagome heard shouting and yelling. She saw Tybalt furiously slashing at Tobias and Tobias not responding at all. _What the hell?! _She jumped to her feet...but she was still a little woozy, and the action unbalanced her. With a hard smack and a cry of pain, she fell over and hit her knee on a sharp rock.

Tybalt backed up a bit, eyes wide with wonder.

"What is..._with_ you today?" he said, fairly awestruck. "Nothing I'm doing is working..." Just then, he heard Kagome cry out and turned around to see her. Tobias, too, turned his head. His eyes widened.

Tybalt slowly smiled. "You care about her, don't you?" he whispered. He leaped away into the trees. Before anyone knew it, he was behind Kagome, holding both of his pistols to her head. "Either fight me..." He bared his teeth, like an animal. "Or the girl dies."

__

I can take a lot...but I can't let Kagome get hurt. Tobias leaped to his feet, and Inuyasha unsheathed his sword; but it was Kagome who moved first.

Oddly, she felt no fear or panic; instead, she felt a calmness that seemed to pulse through her body, as if she knew everything was under control. Kagome glanced down at her right hand and saw that it was glowing white. Balling her hand up into a fist, she whipped around and smashed Tybalt in the nose.

The force of her blow staggered him, but only enough to throw him off his stride. Unaccustomed to being discommoded like that, Tybalt raised both pistols and began to fire. As if by instinct, Kagome held her hand up in front of her. The bullets sped toward her and ricocheted off a silvery-white wall that had suddenly materialized. Tybalt ceased fire, astonished. Kagome gave him a small smile.

She curled her hand into a fist again. The wall of energy coalesced into a small sphere. Kagome didn't know how she knew what she was doing, but at the moment, she didn't especially care. With a flick of her wrist she sent her ball of power zooming towards Tybalt. He twisted in his spot as if trying to dodge it, but it slammed into him with such force that it knocked him three feet deep into a solid rock face some distance away.

Kagome lowered her hand and immediately swayed on her feet. She caught herself before she fell, and sat down rather heavily. _Okay, how did I just do that? Also, how did I know how to do that? This doesn't make any sense..._

Tybalt came out of his crater in the rock wall. He was bleeding heavily from a head wound and looked absolutely boiling. He saw Kagome sitting down, head in her hand, and leaped at the opportunity. He dashed towards Kagome, eager to repay her in spades for the humiliation he had caused.

Tobias was shocked. _Where the **fuck** did THAT come from? Her miko powers aren't that good..._ He raised his sword, but Inuyasha moved first. He sailed in and clashed swords with Tybalt before he got within ten feet of Kagome.

"I won't let you touch my mate," he growled, in a voice that shook Tybalt.

"Your mate?" he asked, a little uncertainly. "So that's what this is about?" He grinned. "Very protective, aren't you." He lunged toward Inuyasha and locked swords. "A fight is a fight. As long as someone battles me, I'm sated. I would much prefer him," he jerked his head in Tobias's direction, "but as he doesn't seem fit to attack I'll just have to go with you." And with that, Tybalt began a devastating offensive.

He flew in, both swords extended. Inuyasha dove to meet him and they battled furiously. As Tybalt knocked Inuyasha into some trees, Tobias came over to Kagome.

"What was that?" he said hoarsely. "Since when can you do something like that?"

"I...I don't know," Kagome said. "I just...he grabbed me, and then all of a sudden I knew what I needed to do. Like it was instinct or something." She glanced at the battle. "I think I'm getting more control over my miko powers."

Inuyasha broke through Tybalt's defense and rushed him with everything he had. He scored a long gash across Tybalt's unarmored chest. Tybalt staggered, but quickly returned the favor with a strike that went right through Inuyasha's fire-rat cloak. Inuyasha was surprised at this, to say the least. Tybalt smirked.

"You think my swords will be stopped by such a weak piece of cloth? These things are more powerful than anything you've ever dreamed of." He pressed the attack with a one-two to Inuyasha's face and torso. He was about to add a third strike when an arrow rushed past his nose, making him do a very undignified scrabble to stop moving forward. He looked back and saw Kagome, already stringing another arrow to her bow.

"Dedicated bitch, isn't she," he murmured. "Always on the offensive. If it weren't for those bloody powers of hers, she'd be dead by now. You'd love that, wouldn't you," he spoke louder, hoping to catch Inuyasha's attention. Unfortunately, Inuyasha had heard the whole thing and lunged at Tybalt.

Tybalt feinted to the right and struck, but all he hit was open air. Inuyasha caromed off a tree and landed right on Tybalt, bowling the other man over. One of Tybalt's swords flew from his hand and embedded itself in the ground.

Inuyasha seized this opportunity and leaped for the still-quivering sword, but Tybalt's other sword flashed downwards to sever his hand. Only with a quick flick of Inuyasha's wrist did he save his hand from being cut off. Tybalt moved in and plucked his other sword from the ground like he was picking a flower. Unexpectedly, he lashed out at Inuyasha with a fierce blow. While Inuyasha recovered, Tybalt abruptly broke off his attack and ran towards Tobias.

Tobias was still injured from Tybalt's earlier taunts and wounds, and he was not expecting an attack, so he failed to respond in time. Tybalt hit him with sword slash after sword slash, so fast it looked like a blur to Kagome. One last upward cut and Tobias fell backwards, bloodied and torn.

Tybalt grinned again, twirled his swords in his hand, and plunged them both into Tobias's chest, in a downward motion above his armor. He yanked them out held them high above his head, preparing for the final blow.

But another arrow flew towards him, this one much closer to the mark as it plunged through his back to poke out between his ribs. Tybalt hissed and grimaced, hastily sheathing one of his swords and ripping out the arrow.

"Oh, fuck this," he snarled. He leaped away, into the woods. Before Inuyasha could get close enough, he had gone.

Tobias was injured but far from dead or dying. He stood up slowly and braced himself against a tree. He seemed to be deep in thought. Kagome approached tentatively.

"Every time I fight him, he thrashes me," Tobias muttered. "What is his secret? And what's with those swords?"

"I was wondering the same thing myself," said Inuyasha. Tobias jerked his head upward and looked.

"You know, sometimes I wish I could say something without you hearing every damn word of it," he said testily. "Anyway, what were you going on about?"

"His swords. They're as strong as yours or mine. What's with that? Is there a Fourth sword out of the Three that you missed somehow?" Tobias looked at him, a bit derisively.

"I have researched this topic _a bit_, you know," he said, annoyed. "There are only three. Everybody knows that. The only one who knows more about them than I do is the General. Maybe the guy that forged them, if he's even still around." He turned to Kagome. "But like I was saying, how did you do that back there?"

"And like _I_ was saying, I don't know," Kagome countered. "If I knew, I'd do it all the time. From what Kaede told me and from what I've done before, I can only do those things when my life is in danger."

"Makes sense." Inuyasha wiped some of Tybalt's blood off his sword. "When do you think you'll be able to use them fully? I know Kikyo could-" He broke off, embarrassed. Kagome looked away. Tobias looked at the both of them.

"You shouldn't be so sensitive about an old flame," he croaked through a mouthful of blood. "So Inuyasha used to like her. So what? He loves you know. You're his mate. And from what I know of demons, that's a permanent thing."

"Wait a second. How do YOU know anything about demons?" Inuyasha said.

"I _did_ live in this era a while ago. I've run into my fair share of demons."

"But why haven't we run into you before?" said Kagome. The look Tobias gave her was unmistakable. _Shouldn't that be obvious?_

"You think Feudal Japan is the only place in the world with demons ? There are many places the world over that had demons, around this time. I think I was in the forests of Eastern Europe and Russia, around this time. There were demons aplenty." He spat out some blood. "As a matter of fact...you remember a few months ago, how I'd always walk in when you were...together?"

Kagome blushed a little and Inuyasha snorted angrily. Obviously they did remember.

"You think that was coincidence?" Kagome nodded. "Well, yes, at first; but eventually I made it a point to try and interrupt those sort of things."

"And just why did you fucking do that?" snarled Inuyasha.

Tobias looked away before answering. "I've seen instances...where a demon male courts a human female. The demon pretends to be in love with the human, and the human grows attached to the demon. But it's a trick." He coughed. "Let me tell you...there aren't many things more gruesome than to see the body of a girl who was raped and killed by her demon 'lover' who had pretended to get close to her. How was I to know Inuyasha wasn't pulling the same thing?" Inuyasha growled.

"Don't you fucking DARE even THINK that I'd do something like that to Kagome. She's MINE, and I won't let ANYONE hurt her. Not even me," he finished assertively.

"I know that _now_, Inuyasha..." Tobias said plaintively. "But I didn't then. All I saw was the scenario I had seen dozens of times before. I didn't want to get directly involved; experience tells me that that's not a good idea. It just leads to an ugly confrontation that goes nowhere. So I observed. I put stress on your relationship, to see if it was real enough and strong enough that you'd stay together. If it was a fake, you would never have put up with it that long."

"I don't know whether to give you a hug or a punch in the face," said Kagome. Both Inuyasha and Tobias looked at her. "But you were...you _thought_ you were doing the right thing, so I'll forgive you."

"I won't, though," said Inuyasha through gritted teeth. "All those times...all those times I was _seconds_ away from giving Kagome what she wanted and you walked in on us...all those times were ON PURPOSE?!" He lunged at Tobias.

"SIT!"

****

BOOM.

"OW!"

"Don't hurt him!" yelled Kagome. "He's hurt enough as it is." Inuyasha was ready to throw a retort back at Kagome when his ears pricked up. He heard something in the bushes.

"Hold on a second," he said quietly. As soon as the spell wore off, he crept into the shrubbery, looking around, sniffing the air. There was no mistaking it. Koga was nearby.

"Oi! Koga!" he shouted. "I know you're there. Come out!" The bushes rustled a little, and Koga came out of the undergrowth. He walked straight past Inuyasha, refusing to acknowledge him. Upon seeing Kagome, he stopped.

"Hello, Kagome," he said dully. His voice was flat and lifeless.

"What's with you? Usually you're all into the 'My woman' thing by now. What gives?" demanded Inuyasha. He walked over beside Kagome. "Besides, even if you did, you have no claim. Kagome is my mate. See?" And he pulled back her hair to reveal the bite mark.

"Oh...that's nice." Kagome was puzzled at this complete lack of reaction. She decided to pry. "What's wrong, Koga? What happened?" She thought about it for a minute before realizing something was very different. "Your shards are gone!"

"Yeah," he said. "They were taken."

"By what?" demanded Inuyasha again.

"What _happened_, Koga?" pressed Kagome.

"Was it the General?" supplied Tobias quietly.

Koga looked obstinate for a second; then, to everyone's surprise, he burst into tears. Sobbing, he clutched at Kagome for support. Inuyasha growled and made to yank him off, but Kagome stopped him.

"He...he just came and...and started killing people..." sobbed Koga. "We couldn't stop him...we tried, gods, we tried...killing our best warriors..." He choked back another sob before continuing. Kagome tried her best to comfort him. "He took my shards...ripped them right out...then he killed everyone..." He swallowed. "Some of the women and children escaped...scattered everywhere...don't know where they are..." He dissolved into fresh tears. He let go of Kagome and sank to his knees, clutching his face in his hands, tears streaming down his claws.

"Wh...why?" Koga whispered. "Why would he...why would _anyone_...do something like that?"

"He's a bastard," snarled Inuyasha.

"He's a monster," suggested Kagome.

"He's evil," said Tobias quietly.

"And he's here to tell you why." Everyone whirled to see the General standing behind them.

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What's the biggest challenge of an actor? MOTIVATION! What's the greatest mystery of the General? MOTIVATION! Is the General an actor? You decide!

...

He's not. I don't know what came over me just now. Disregard that bit. Too much whiskey and soda, that's it. Anyhoo, you know what to do...(hey, that rhymes)...**_REVIEW!!!_**

(hey, that rhymes too.)

(hey, THAT rhymes...just shoot me now.)


	43. The Answer Man

Howdy-doody. It's me again, with another exciting installment of my story.

*Sob* *Choke* *Sniff* Sorry for all the emotional stuff, but I've finally broken that barrier...**100,000 WORDS!!!** I did it! I never thought it would be this long but it is! 100,000 words! That's enough for a book! I don't believe it...I honestly do not believe it...Out of 16,873 stories on Inuyasha on ff.net, mine is only one of 41 that broke that accursed barrier. *Tears stream down face* I actually did it! And I'd like to thank those who have been reviewing since the beginning: Kai19 (without whom I would have much less inspiration to keep writing), hersheykiss1012, cinnamin girl, AssassinReiX, and Jou-chan/kitsune-chan/shiro-okami (keeps changing her gol'darn name!). All of you have been instrumental in keeping me working on this project. And I'd also like to extend a big thanks to ALL my reviewers; past, present, and future; because without you, this story would never have sprung from my mind.

You know, I'm really beginning to run out of ideas for these intros and end taglines, here. I've done what, 42 of them now? Each? It's not easy coming up with all of this stuff on the spur of the moment. Actually, it is the spur of the moment. I've decided on a regular once-a-week update schedule. Here's the foreseen forecast.

Day 1 (after posting chapter) Add some token words to story.

Day 2: Think 'Eh, I've still got a lot of time left. Besides, I just rented a new game.'

Days 3-6: See Day 2.

Day 7 (8:30 PM): Realize '**AAAAAAAAAAA I need to update TODAY!**' Write furiously.

That's how this week went. This chapter went a lot easier than most. Much easier than my vaunted lemon chapter, which took a lot of effort even to sit down and write. But, I blather on (as I am wont to do). Reviews away. (When I want to switch points in my review responses, I'll separate them with an * so you know. Too much spacing in my last chapter.)

Kai19: Homework problems? Understandable. I have _Ratchet & Clank_ problems, myself. (That's a video game.) What matters is that you reviewed. * Did I mistakenly write this story down somewhere before, and you're just reading it off? Or are you that good at predictions? Geez, you should start buying lottery tickets, you'd make a fortune. That bit about Koga was spot-on. * Yeah, Kagome just needs to be in the spotlight for once. I've portrayed her as the 'damsel in distress' quite enough, now she needs to shift into 'ass-kicking damsel' mode. * The bit about the General's plans for the jewel...so sorry, he's not spilling the beans just yet. Wait awhile.

demonness: Well, you're about to find out.

Ryguy5387: Thanks a billion.

AssassinReiX: because Because BECAUSE.

hersheykiss1012: That's quite the trick, isn't it. It's not easy to do, but I do my best. Of course, I AM the best, aren't I?

...: Well, perhaps he improved his swordsmanship over the years.

cinnamin girl: Whew. *Mops brow with damp sponge* All right. Here we go.

Ch. 34: Yes, it is my first fic. * Ch. 35: Lovely. * Ch. 37: She DID feel it. And he is upset. Read on. * Ch. 38: Yes. Yes he is. * Ch. 39: I already did. * Ch. 43: He normally doesn't sleep. He's not used to dreaming. Tell your boyfriend to read this story. He might learn something. * Ch. 44: I don't know why Inuyasha always thinks of Kagome last. Perhaps if he thought of her first, he would never get around to thinking of everyone else. As for the capital letters, he's a belligerent kind of guy. No, I think the General has a good reason for always standing around. We don't know much about his childhood...(hell, **I** don't know much about his childhood) Tybalt is annoying, isn't he? Yeah, it took me a while to come up with his speech about sunsets and such. * Ch. 45: **SLASH???** *goes and boils eyes* Ow. Now I have to increase the prescription on my glasses again. Thanks a lot. No, he never dies. He's just aggravating that way. My cliffies suck in that they are terrible, or they suck in that they make you want to know what will happen next? I MUST KNOW! There's a cliffhanger for you... It will last very very long, if I get my way.

SSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!

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Chapter 43: The Answer Man

Tobias, forgetting his injuries, charged at the General. The General had only time enough to sigh as he nimbly dodged Tobias's bull rush. Tobias, unable to check his momentum, tumbled to the ground.

"Why is it, that every time we meet, you attack? You must realize, boy, doing things like that is not the best strategy. We _will_ battle...there are no uncertainties as to that, but here is not the place and now is not the time." He sheathed his sword. "I simply wish to clear up some misunderstandings. I give you my word that I will not harm you in any way for the duration of my visit. Do I have yours?"

Before anyone could respond, Koga launched himself at the General with a feral howl. The General raised his sword, the tip glowed blue. A fine mist of sparkling particles flowed from the tip and coated Koga, who froze in his tracks, seemingly unable to move.

"I am not amused," the General said shortly. "Get back with the others, or suffer the same fate as the rest of your kin." Koga was flung violently back towards the group; and even then, Inuyasha had to hold him down and stop him from attacking again.

Tobias looked at Inuyasha, who glared right back at him; then he looked at Kagome, who nodded faintly.

"You're hurt now, Tobias," she said softly. "There's no use attacking him now."

"Listen to Kagome. Despite my earlier thoughts, she appears to have some sense after all." Kagome glared at the General, who returned it with one of his trademark impassive stares.

Growling and muttering, Tobias planted himself back with the rest. The others were now fully awake, having finally shook off the effects of the potion. Miroku and Sango stared with wide eyes. Shippo trembled and clung to Kagome's skirt.

"I came here today because I must discuss some things with you all. There have been various conjectures raised about my motivations, and I would like to put these to rest. You were wondering why it is that I kill." He walked over, a little closer, but still maintaining his distance. "There are two reasons. Unfortunately, the first you will not believe, and the second you will not accept. I know enough about you, boy, to tell that right from the start."

The General stood silently for a moment, pausing to let his words sink in. Inuyasha responded first. "Just tell us already," he snarled. "We haven't got all day."

"Very well. My schedule is also a busy one. So I will make this as brief as possible...which, I warn you, is still quite tedious." He fixed his gaze on Tobias. "You told your story, boy...now I tell mine."

"As you know from the boy's recollection, I was once a general in the court of King Antwelm of Alarion. But the constant spurning by Prince Marcus, who just happened to be a higher-ranking general, wore my patience to the bone. You must understand; back then, I did not have the..." He paused, searching for the right word. "The self-control I do now. My emotions were openly displayed, often to my embarrassment.

"But what the boy did not know, and still does not, I will tell you. During my stay in Alarion, I met a young girl named Maria. We were childhood friends, at first. We spent as much time as possible with each other. As we matured, I began to recognize my feelings towards her. They were undeniable. I confessed all to her on my seventeenth birthday, and she reciprocated, claiming she had grown much closer to me than I had realized."

The General paused again. The next words seemed to be difficult for him to say; even with all his mastery over emotion, he still showed some sign of compassion. He opened his mouth, but could not speak. Finally, he managed to get the words out.

"I...I loved her...and she loved me."

Tobias's eyes widened. He was stunned by this news. The General, killer of men and destroyer of entire countries, actually capable of love? The General took a deep breath, and resumed his story.

"We were wed in a beautiful ceremony. For a long time, we lived happily. She was as close to the perfect girl as I have seen in all my long years. Beautiful, intelligent, understanding..." The General closed his eyes.

"There was a great deal of tension, however. Being a general, whenever I went on military campaigns I was forced to leave her behind. Often I would not see her for months at a time. But it was my duty, and my country came first. It was wrenching, to abandon her for so long, but I had to do it. The assignments I received were few and far between, due to your charming brother Marcus snatching up most of the battles himself, and I could not afford to pass any of them up, for fear of demotion to a lower rank. I do believe that the only reason the king kept me as a general was my superior tactical abilities, better than even those of Prince Marcus. Even Antwelm had to admit that, albeit reluctantly.

"After every missed chance for a campaign that Marcus snatched from the tips of my fingers, I would arrive home and rage and storm about, bellowing about the injustice and swearing vengeance. But Maria served as my voice of reason. 'Calm down,' she would say. 'Don't lose your head over it. You're still the better commander and you know it. The king can't keep ignoring you.' It was her efforts alone that preserved my sanity and my dignity for so long.

"The news came, finally. We were at war with Mistaria, and I was to lead our troops to victory. As the boy likely already told you, I was humiliated. My armies were scattered, and only the _timely_," the General's voice was tinged with sarcasm, "intervention of Marcus's army saved us from annihilation. I was led back to the capital city of Alarion.

"The king scolding me for the loss of life, while Marcus looked on with that smug, condescending, I-am-better-than-you look on his face was the final straw. It took everything I had to stop from leaping up and attacking the old man on the spot...I would have," Tobias growled slightly, "but Marcus would have cut short both the attempt and my life, with his magic sword. So I decided to leave. After one last chat with the boy..." Tobias's eyes widened even wider. _He remembers?!_ "I went back to my dwelling to gather up some things. I told Maria of the entire ordeal.

"'Don't go,' she urged me. 'It's not worth it. Stay here with me, and just lie low for a while. You don't have to leave.' I turned to her, pity etched into every line of my face.

"'But I do, Maria,' I said softly. 'This has transcended aggravation and annoyance...it is now a matter of honor.' I gathered my belongings and swept out with barely a backward glance.

"Far be it from me, however, to leave without a parting shot. I...expressed my views rather strongly to Antwelm and Marcus, and they banished me. As I trudged out of the city gates, Maria was there.

"'Please,' she begged me. 'Don't leave. I couldn't bear to be without you. I'd pine away and die.' She sobbed into my cloak, as the strongest emotions I have ever felt conflicted in my mind. The thirst for vengeance clashed with my love for Maria...but in the end, duty won out. As it always did.

"'You had best lie low,' I warned her. 'My name is mud with the noblemen after the scene in the throne room, and I do not know what they would do to you if they knew how openly we were fraternizing. Do not draw attention to yourself.' I kissed her and we embraced one last time. 'I will return for you,' I whispered. And with that, I left."

The General became silent. Tobias's face was oddly blank. Inuyasha was looking away, scowling at the whole story. _What does this have to do with anything?_ he thought angrily. Kagome was slightly more aware of the foreshadowing. _This story won't end well..._ she thought anxiously.

"Through fire, and water, and all manner of hazards and obstacles I relentlessly pursued my dream: to find the sword that would enable me to kill Marcus and all that supported him. Vengeance was still foremost in my mind, and all of the hardships along the way only strengthened my resolve. I would not return until I had the means to pay back the entire royal family in spades for the humiliation and indignity I had suffered.

"Unlike you, boy, I set off alone, so my journey was much harder than yours, likely. After several years of searching, I finally found what I was looking for. The sword in question was inside an active volcano. How it had gotten there, nobody could tell me. All they knew was that it was there, and there was no possible way to get to it without burning alive.

"There was a small town near the volcano. I hired some guides to take me up the mountain and to the crater of the volcano. It was somewhat difficult to obtain them, as the natives clearly thought there was an eruption brewing, and refused to go. At last, I managed to procure some extremely expensive mercenaries who agreed to take me. As we neared the top, the heat boiled and blistered even the toughest among us. We finally approached the crater, and I peered inside. Ignoring the heat that was searing my face and eyes, I beheld the sword, hanging motionless in midair, deep inside the bowels of the cave.

"Vaguely I comprehended the leader of the guides tugging on the shoulder of my cloak. 'Don't even think about it,' he warned me. 'Braver and stronger men than you have all tried, and all have perished. It's impossible to lower a rope down that far, and the walls are too soft to climb down. The heat would kill you either way. Face it, there's no way to get to it.'

"I ignored him and stood on the very lip of the crater. He grew agitated. 'Are you crazy, man?! What are you planning on doing? You'll kill yourself! Like I said, you just can't get to that sword!' I fixed him with a steely gaze. 'Where others have failed, I intend to succeed. I will retrieve that sword,' I said shortly. As I spoke, the volcano grew violent. Large bubbles of lava burst the surface, and the level of magma began to rise. 'The volcano is erupting!' he cried. 'You're a madman!' Howling, he and the rest dashed away, but I paid no more attention.

"Bracing myself, I took a mighty leap. As I plummeted into the heart of the volcano, the intense heat threatened to envelop and suffocate me; but I knew what I had to do. I had only one try at this, and I needed to be at my best. Against all odds, I reached out with my hand. The exact instant my hand closed around the hilt of the sword, which was oddly cool considering its surroundings, the volcano exploded."

The General stopped for a second and looked around, as if he had heard something. Dismissing it, he carried on.

"I do not remember much of the specific occurrences. I remember landing, somehow, on my feet, on hard earth. The biting arctic wind seemed to flow through my very veins and penetrate every fiber of my being. I howled in agony, but all I heard was the whistling of a gale lashing the tundra. Barely, I heard some words in another language. They sounded like this."

The General thought for a second, then began. "Tdrtdr hehhes ereerw cyacyo ooroor lutlud." He glanced at the others, realizing that none of them knew what that meant. "I understand your confusion," he intoned. "I had to spend years researching before I figured out what that meant. You, boy; remember it or not; also heard a message. Yours sounded like this.

"Tererr hsrles eoatow ffghfo lyeeyr aoffod muuiu." Tobias started.

"I've heard that before..." he said vaguely.

"I do believe I just said that. I spent four hundred years researching ancient languages before I figured out what those meant. I shall tell you what they mean later. First I must finish my story.

"When I recovered, I found that I was on the bottom of the volcano. The hot lava had flash-solidified into rock. It was ice-cold to the touch. Barely aware of what I was doing, I leaped all the way out of the crater and landed in the town. The townspeople began to shout and point at the volcano and me, but I cared not. All that mattered to me was that I understood what had happened to me.

"Some weeks later, I finally came to grips with my transformation. I was much stronger and faster than I thought was possible for a human. I wore this armor you see now. Emboldened by my newfound power, I marched for Alarion.

"But as I drew nearer, my passion ebbed. I did not know what was causing it, but somehow I felt more calm about the whole situation. Looking at it logically, I reasoned that it was insanity to attack an entire kingdom for the arrogance of one man. Two days before I reached the gates of the city, I vowed I would add this power to Alarion's, and we would become the greatest military force the world had ever known.

"I entered the city at the darkest hour of night; I did not yet wish my presence to be noted. I evaded the guard – clumsy fools in my opinion, were these my same troops I had left behind? – and stole away for my old dwelling. I knew Maria would be there, to congratulate me on my success, to hold me in her arms as I had missed so much on the years I had searched."

The General stopped again. His expression was unreadable. "When I arrived, she was gone," he said, very quietly. "Then I became aware of lights and a commotion in the courtyard. Guided by some unseen instinct, I went towards it, hoping to find the answer to my troubled spirit.

"I arrived on the scene, unknowingly in the center of some bright torchlights. As my eyes adjusted to the light, I took in what I saw before me. Guards standing everywhere. A large platform in the center – a gallows! And..."

The General looked directly at Tobias, with a hint of rage in his voice. "Your dear brother...Prince Marcus...leading Maria to the hanging platform."

"I was frozen. I could no more move than if I was entombed in a block of ice. Marcus took in this new intruder and saw me...he smiled, in such a terrible and heartless way that it chilled my heart. 'Ah, you finally return to us,' he said. 'And at such a convenient time! I was about to extinguish this most volatile threat to our reign...when an even more volatile threat appears right before me.' Maria turned and saw me, just then. She cried out my name, but was silenced by a nearby guard.

"'What are you talking about?' I gasped. 'How is she a threat? She has done nothing!'

"'For a man so learned, you astound me with your ignorance sometimes, General,' Marcus sneered. 'You renounced your king and betrayed your country. Such an offense is high treason, punishable by death. But you were nowhere to be found! So we had to settle for the next best thing. If you were guilty of treason, then obviously your supporters were guilty of complicity in that crime. The girl here was clearly in league with you, and was therefore a problem that needed correcting.'

"I could say nothing, I was struck dumb. A noose was tightened around Maria's neck. But still Marcus spoke. 'She is a clever bitch, having eluded our pursuit for years. But tonight, we finally catch this dangerous criminal, and her mastermind, in one fell swoop. A night to be remembered, gentlemen.' The guards snickered amongst each other.

"It was all too much. I drew my sword and advanced on the gallows, intending to kill the hangman and free Maria. But Marcus responded first. Interposing himself between me and her, he drew his own sword and pointed it straight at me. 'Do not interfere with matters of the state, General,' he sneered. 'Do not worry. It will be your turn soon enough.'

"I knew I had power, but I had personally witnessed Marcus's battle prowess, and underestimated myself. I thought that rushing him would only result in my death. That," the General said acidly, "was my greatest error. The only thing I thought I could do was to appeal to Marcus; he alone could halt this process.

"'Marcus!' I cried. 'Spare her! Put me in her place! She is innocent of any crime. I am the one you want. Take me and let her go!' Marcus looked at me, not saying a word. His eyes said enough, filled with malice and contempt. With a single swing of his sword he cut the rope holding up the floor under Maria.

"Maria...my beautiful Maria...died before my eyes."

The General stopped for some minutes, not speaking. Inuyasha glanced at Tobias, and saw that he was looking at something in his palm, with a mingled look of shock and horror. As soon as he noticed Inuyasha looking at him, he hurriedly closed his palm and deposited whatever it was into his pocket. The General, who after all missed nothing, saw this gesture and what he had held. His eyes widened slightly, then the corners of his mouth twitched.

"That..." he said slowly, "would explain an awful lot. But I must continue." He looked at Tobias again, rather pointedly. "It is not altogether unlike your story recalling me and Marcus later on...only the outcome of my memory is a bit better. But the interesting part has not yet come up.

"I had strength, and speed, and skill, but nothing else. I did not even know that my sword had other abilities. But, as I saw Marcus kill Maria in cold blood, all the rage and pain and hurt and anger I felt...simply evaporated...into nothing."

He looked away. "And that was my true power. Emotion serves only to cloud the mind, to blind reason and mutate logic. To force one into acts that are both stupid and pointless, simply because emotion directs his or her actions. All my emotion fled my mind. Your sword lends you power as your rage increases; you gain strength from emotion. I am quite the opposite." The General tapped his sword hilt lightly. "My power draws from the lack of emotion in my mind. The more calm I am, the more power I receive.

"Incidentally, boy, this is why I will always be more powerful than you. Your rage is a temporary condition, and only activated in short spurts at minimum power. I, being devoid of emotion, am _always_ at the pinnacle of my strength. You cannot hope to match me, ever." Kagome looked at Tobias and saw that he had his face in his hands.

"I loved Maria still, but her death meant no more to me than the killing of a useful ally. However, this was still the final straw, next to all the other wrongs Marcus had done to me. The time was ripe for vengeance.

"My first goal was to destroy Marcus's family. Being that you were not there, I proceeded at once to the castle and encountered the king and queen. After dealing with them, I turned my attentions to Marcus's elite guard; I was only using the same reasoning he had. As they had associated with him so closely, they were guilty of the same offenses he had committed. Once they were dispatched, the entire population of Alarion fell into my crosshairs. For were not they, by serving under Marcus, part of his masterful scheme? I was almost finished with them when you arrived.

"You know the rest of the story, boy. The others among you have heard it already...excepting the wolf, but he neither cares nor should know. That is my first reason why I kill. My second, thankfully, is much shorter to explain, as I do have pressing business to attend to." The General turned to Kagome and raised an eyebrow. His eyes glanced up and down her body, and he muttered something to himself before turning back to address the group.

"The reason why I kill...because I love it. Killing is the only source from which emotion is still aroused in me. Any pleasure a woman could give me pales in comparison to the thrill that runs down my spine as my opponent chokes out their last breath, and dies; broken, and bleeding, on the ground." Kagome shuddered. "The most exotic entertainment could not hold my attention for a fraction of the time that slaughtering entire villages captures my interest for. The finest confection could not be any sweeter than the taste of victory. My entire life is for the battle, the brawl, the fight, the war, the death of others. Why do you think I became a general in the first place?

"And now, there is one last thing I must do." He vanished. Inuyasha felt something whip past him. He turned around as quickly as he could, but all he saw was the General, grabbing Kagome with one arm around her waist, leaping backwards into a nearby tree. Tobias sprang up, but the General raised his sword. Tobias crashed into a flickering blue barrier and sprawled on the ground. Inuyasha, enraged, drew Tetsusaiga and leaped at the barrier, smashing it with all his strength. It held, but it wobbled, and a deep thrumming noise reverberated through the forest. The General's eyes widened imperceptibly.

"You promised-" roared Inuyasha in a voice that scarcely sounded like him.

"I promised I would not harm you for the duration of this encounter. And I have taken great precautions not to harm Kagome." Kagome was struggling in the General's grasp, but failing to make any difference in his steel-hard grip. She half expected her miko powers to activate and strike him down, but there was not even a flicker of energy about her. The next second, her entire body began to glow blue, as did the General. A sickening feeling arose in her stomach as she realized what this meant. The General was teleporting.

Kagome looked imploringly down at Inuyasha, who was still ferociously attacking the barrier with all of his might. For an instant – a brief instant – their eyes met; Kagome's imploring, begging him to help her; Inuyasha's full of rage and pain and helplessness. Then she vanished. Kagome was gone.

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Dear, dear, dear. This fucking sucks, doesn't it. Not so much a cliffhanger as it is a...as it is...OKAY, IT'S A CLIFFHANGER. WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME, BLOOD? Right, now I've got that out of the way. So. What do you think will happen? REVIEW!


	44. Kagome Imprisoned

Okay. First order of business. Go back to the last chapter.

  
Yes, you read right. There's an incredibly important plot point that I stupidly left out of the first version of that chapter. Go back and read it again. Also, read my celebration of breaking the 100,000 word barrier. That was fairly well written, in my opinion, and it thanks a number of people personally, so you should go on back and check it out.

For those people that don't feel like rereading the whole chapter just to catch one subtle nuance, you can start reading right when the General discovers Maria on the gallows to find the plot point I added and try and work that in. Anyway. To the current story. And reviews, too. Sorry for the excessively long wait, but I was gone from Wednesday to Sunday. Thanksgiving break + Disneyworld with favorite cousin = no time to write. Sorry.

Kai19: Yeah, the General isn't just evil because he's evil. He actually has a motivation. Whether or not it is sufficient to forgive all the heinous acts he's committed over the millennia is for you to decide. * Marcus was not a nice guy. And that's part of the new plot point I've added. Tobias envisions Marcus as the best person in the world; and when he finds out the truth, it staggers him. * It's not that the General respects her, it's that he needs her for something. Well, two things. Read ahead to find out what! * Yeah, I mainly focus on those three. I'm not really sure how to write a personality for Miroku and Sango, mainly. I haven't seen enough of the show to determine how their personalities would have developed over time. I might have forgotten about Koga, though. Whoops. Let's just say he failed to react in time. * I _will_ tell you what those words mean eventually, but now is not the time. Sound like the General, don't I?

Ryguy5387: You can't have my blood. I'm such a fragile person (105 lb. weakling) that were I to give up any blood, I'd collapse in a dessicated husk. But, to compensate, here's a non-cliffy chapter.

cinnamin girl: Why would I be mad? Sure, you cluttered up the review page a little, but why would I get mad at such a dedicated reader? All I ask is that in the future, you lump all of your little reviews into one big review, with chapter designations. Look at CharMoonshineINU's revised review to see how it's don.e

AssassinReiX: Good. All these people asking me for blood, it's like a ravening horde of mosquitoes. (Raven, raven.)

CharMoonshineINU: Oookay. First things first. I'm impressed at your dedication, at reading the whole shebang in one sitting. And at 1:00 AM, too! Not many people have that kind of grit. It speaks for both of us.

Second things second. In the future, kindly save all of your reviews for one BIG review at the latest chapter, okay? This time, I was able to delete all your reviews (Don't cry! Keep reading!), save them in Word, put them all into one BIG review, and review the story anonymously under your name. It's a bit of work, so in the future, just one or two reviews should suffice. Just ask cinnamin girl! Thanks for reviewing!

Cerulean: Geez, I give out blood, other people die...maybe I should just end this story now. It's too violent.

(chorus of "nooooooooo..." is heard in the background)

All right, I won't end it till it's regularly scheduled end. ("yaaaaaaaay...") But NO DYING! That's strictly forbidden when reading my story. People must stay ALIVE until the story comes to a full and complete stop. Which won't be for a while yet. ("yaaaaaaaaay...") Thanks for the compliments.

STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Chapter 44: Kagome Imprisoned

Kagome landed with a hard thump on a cold stone floor. She struggled to her feet and tried to get a good view of her surroundings. She was in a small room, just slightly smaller than her room back in her time. It was bare stone. There was a small wooden table and two chairs, and a mattress in the corner. The General stood in the doorway.

"You may be wondering why I did that," he said lightly. "You have something I need. And when I need something, I get it."

"W-What is it?" squeaked Kagome. She was absolutely terrified. She had no idea where she was, and she was in the same room with the most powerful killer on the planet.

"I seem to be acquainted with duality today. There are two purposes you would serve for me. The first, and most important...your powers." The General reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of Shikon shards. "You, being the guardian of the Shikon no Tama, are the only priestess yet in the world who can reunite the shards into one whole jewel again, thus making it capable of granting wishes." He put the shards down on the table. "I did not think you capable of such a feat before, but your performance in the battle against Tybalt proves otherwise. You have developed in your powers enough that you can now do this. Get to reuniting." He stood still and stared at Kagome, waiting.

Kagome looked at the shards, then back at the General. She raised her hands helplessly. "I-I don't know how," she whimpered. "I've never done anything like that..."

No trace of emotion showed on the General's face, but there was a bite of irritation in his voice. "That figures," he said shortly. "Fortunately for both of us, I have a backup plan for just such an eventuality. You will have a teacher." Kagome looked up sharply. "She will teach you how to fuse the shards together, and also make sure you don't run off with them. She will come later.

"The second reason I have brought you here...is not nearly as essential as the first...but is still important...in its own way." The General turned away. "Despite my lack of emotion, and despite my earlier soliloquy, I am not made of stone. I am still a man. With a man's..." He seemed to search for the right word. "...desires."

That one word had more of an impact on Kagome than if he had slapped her across the face. Her face turned dead white and she began to tremble, edging backwards in the room.

"I have learned from a trusted authority that miko powers, for a miko as underdeveloped as you, will only activate when your life is in peril," said the General calmly, apparently not noticing Kagome's distress. "And I have no intention of killing you. When you could be so valuable?" He turned back toward Kagome and began to walk into the room slowly.

"It seems the ideal match," he said quietly. "You, a defenseless, 19-year-old girl; and me, the most powerful warrior in the world. Yes, I think you will serve both purposes quite nicely." Kagome hit the wall behind her, but the General continued to advance. He reached up a gloved hand to cup her cheek. He was roughly a millimeter from touching her when a demon in robes, obviously out of breath, ran into the doorway.

"My lord," it panted. "The fourth seal is broken. Your presence is required immediately on the summoning plane!" The General's expression did not flicker in the slightest. He did not turn away, but flicked his eyes in the demon's direction.

"Get out of here before I kill you," he said, a little more sharply than he'd intended. The demon, obviously flustered, took two quick steps backward and ran. The General moved away and went to the doorway. He paused.

"Do not think this is the end," he said. "This is a distraction, but one that requires my attention. Your teacher should arrive tomorrow. In the meantime...amuse yourself somehow." He swept out.

A long time had passed, Kagome didn't know how long. There was no window in her room, and she hadn't seen the outside world since she had been kidnapped. She knew that she had been kidnapped near sunset, and near as she could tell from discreet peeks down the hallway to see the window at the end, it was the next day.

Kagome lay in her mattress. Tears were coursing down her cheeks._ Will I ever see Inuyasha again? Will I ever be able to tell him that I love him, one last time? Or will the General..._ She stifled a sob. Kagome turned over in bed, trying to fall asleep. She hadn't been able to sleep all during the night.

Her stomach growling diverted her from her sorrow, momentarily. Kagome wiped some tears from her eyes as she sat up and began to think. She hadn't eaten anything since the previous morning, and she was beginning to get hungry. After spending a few minutes composing herself, Kagome tried the door. To her surprise, it was unlocked. She walked out into the hallway.

There were three doors, each ornately carved. As her door swung shut behind her, she noticed it was much the same pattern. The hallway was bare stone, much like her room. Obviously the General was not one for aesthetics. Kagome timidly approached what she really hoped was the right door and knocked.

  
Very quietly. She couldn't even hear it. So, mustering her nerve, she knocked, normally. A few seconds passed. Nothing happened. _I must have the wrong room,_ Kagome thought to herself. She was about to go to another door when the doorknob rattled.

Kagome sprang back as the door opened. She gaped, but quickly turned her eyes away.

The General was standing in the doorway, wet, and clad only in a towel from the waist down. He seemed to be in the middle of a bath when Kagome had interrupted him. Kagome couldn't help but notice that he was VERY muscular, and didn't have a scar on him. Much like Inuyasha. He held his sword in one hand; obviously, he didn't want to relinquish his power even when bathing.

"What?" he said impassively. Kagome was still too shocked to respond. "What?" he repeated. There was more of a bite to his tone now. Since any change in the General's voice meant bad news, Kagome quickly spoke up.

"Umm...I was just...I was in my room, and...I haven't..."

"Do you have a reason for interrupting my shower, or are you just here to babble?" said the General, a little impatiently.

"I haven't eaten all yesterday and I was wondering if I could get some food," Kagome blurted out, very quickly. She half expected him to slam the door in her face and leave her to starve. To her surprise, again, the General remained where he was.

"You have not eaten?" he said. He sounded genuinely surprised, with what little scraps of emotion Kagome could glean from his voice. "I gave orders...give me five minutes. I will remedy this." He started to walk back into the room, but paused. "Wait here," he said. He shut the door.

Kagome slumped against the wall. _Why am I so afraid of him?_ she asked herself. The answer came swiftly. **_Because he's about a million times stronger than you, he wants to rape you, he's kidnapped you with almost no chance of escape and as soon as he figures out you don't have the power to reunite the shards he'll kill you!_ **Kagome shivered, but stayed where she was.

Four minutes and fifty-eight seconds later, the General emerged from the room, dressed once again in his traditional robes and armor. His sword sheathed, he beckoned for Kagome to follow him. She did.

They walked down a series of identical-looking hallways, turning at random directions, going into doors that simply led to more corridors. _Maybe this is how he'll keep me here,_ Kagome thought. _He didn't lock my door, but he figures I'll get lost before I ever escape._ Eventually they came to an imposing stone door. It looked like it weighed a ton, but the General pushed it open with ease. Inside, several demons stood, doing miscellaneous tasks. Copying parchment, weighing out mysterious herbs and substances, that sort of thing. One of them immediately sprung to the door and sank into a bow.

"My lord," he said slavishly. "What do you require done?"

"It has come to my attention that you have not yet fed Kagome," the General said quietly. "She says she is hungry. I have come to ask why no food has been brought to her."

To Kagome's shock, the demon grinned. "You gave me my orders, my lord. I thought they were open to interpretation. When you said to feed the human wench, I thought it would be...prudent to starve her a little. You know. Make it so it's harder for her to run away. We don't want her to be comfortable..." He flashed a toothy smile right at Kagome, who stuck her tongue out in return. He let out a low growl at that sign of rebellion, then resumed his grin and talked to the General again. "She's only a human. I mean, they're inferior. She's not nearly as important as me, I'm the chief assistant to Grizelda! Wouldn't want her to live as well as us...would we?" he added, with some trepidation. The General seemed unmoved.

"My orders are often very straightforward; this time not being an exception," said the General coolly. "I told you to keep her adequately fed. That means three meals a day. And not that thin stew from the pot that you eat, either. Actual food. The kind that you would serve to me." The demon was completely shocked by this turn of events.

"Kagome is at least one hundred times as important as you. You are easily replaceable. She is not. She is the only person left in the entire world who would serve my purpose. So let me put it in a way you would understand." In an instant, the General had advanced on the demon and was gripping him tightly by the throat. "She and I will leave now. Precisely ten minutes after we leave, I will check back on Kagome to see if you have brought her sufficient food. If you have not, there will be blood, and pain." The demon was beginning to turn blue from lack of oxygen. The General did not appear to care.

"And another thing." He hurled the demon to the floor. "Although I have considerable power, please bear in mind that I am also an _inferior_," he pronounced that word with a touch of malice, "human. So, now would be an excellent time to cease the anti-human epithets. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

"Y-Yes, my l-lord," rasped the demon. The General turned to leave and motioned for Kagome to follow. Before she turned away, Kagome locked eyes with the demon. He gave her a look filled with utter hatred and contempt. Before she could draw another breath, the General took her back into the corridor and slammed the door behind her.

"**GRRRRRRRRAAAAAAA!!!!**" Inuyasha roared. He sliced down a tree with Tetsusaiga. He was absolutely insane with rage and hatred. The others had never seen him like this; indeed, Shippo feared for his life, and even Tobias backed away. Inuyasha noticed Tobias and advanced on him.

"Where the **FUCK** is she? He's your goddamn enemy! You tell me where he's taken her!" he bellowed. Tobias looked apprehensive, but stood his ground.

"I told you, Inuyasha," he shouted back in a tone that sounded near-insignificant next to Inuyasha's, "I don't fucking know! If I knew, I'd be there already! Don't you think I want her back as much as you do?" As soon as he said it, Tobias knew he's made a mistake. Fury blazed in Inuyasha's eyes, and he knocked Tobias to the ground with one swift punch. He bent over Tobias's prone form.

"You have no idea how much I want her back," he said, in a low growl that sounded even more dangerous than his scream. "Don't you even fucking think you know for a goddamn instant how much I want to hold her in my arms one more time. So quit screwing around and find her. _Now,_" he hissed. He stood up and stormed away into the trees.

Tobias stood up also, but not until Inuyasha had gone. He was shocked. "I understand...he wants her back, they're mates...but I didn't know-"

"No, you didn't," Sango cut in. Tobias turned to look at her. "I know about demon mating rituals," she said. "A successful demon slayer knows about every part of demon life. They're connected by a bond that runs deeper than you or I can even imagine. Kagome might not even grasp the significance of their bond, but Inuyasha certainly does.

"When inu-demons mate, it's for life and beyond. The mate of a dog demon almost becomes an extension of the demon's heart and soul. Not even the day that you lost your family means nearly as much to you as losing Kagome does to Inuyasha. I would know. I lost my family too..." She trailed off.

Tobias stared into the distance. He could still clearly hear Inuyasha raging and screaming into the woods. "My question is, will he come back?" he murmured. "Or do we want him to?"

Kagome sat in her chair. All she could do now was wonder what was to come next. There was a knock at the door, and a few seconds later, The General walked into the room.

"Your instructor should be arriving shortly," he said. "As a matter of fact...here she comes now."

Light footsteps echoed down the hallway. The General stepped aside...

...and Kikyo walked into the room.

Her face twisted into a snarl at the sight of Kagome. She yanked her bow off her back. The General raised an eyebrow. Before the shocked Kagome could react, Kikyo fired an arrow. Kagome cringed and threw her hands up to defend herself.

But the impact never came. Kagome opened her eyes to see the General standing between her and Kikyo. He held the arrow in one hand, the point about a millimeter from her skin. "Let me see if I understand this, Kikyo," he said in his usual monotone. "I restored you to your body from the ashes in the cave. It was not an easy task, and it required great amounts of magic _and_ diverting me from my current project. All of this was simply in return for you aiding me in my quest to make whole the Shikon no Tama. And attacking the one person who can put it right is not aiding me in that pursuit." He crushed the arrow in his fist and walked over to Kikyo.

"If," he said, so quietly that only Kikyo could hear, "if I find out that you have hurt Kagome in _any_ way – and believe me, I _will_ find out – then I will not only destroy you, I will take your ashes and scatter them in the ocean. Is that clear?"

"Perfectly," Kikyo sulked. The General swept out and closed the wooden door behind him. Kikyo turned to Kagome. "We may have personal issues, but we must not let them stand in the way of our goal."

"_Our_ goal?" Kagome spluttered. She had overcome her shock by now, and it was rapidly giving way to anger. "This isn't _our_ goal, it's _his_ goal! You know what'll happen if he gets his hands on the full jewel? He'll kill all of us, including you!" She stabbed an accusing finger at Kikyo. The undead miko didn't seem moved.

"He swore an oath that he would not harm me. And he doesn't break his word, I can sense it about him." Kagome paused in her indignation. She could...what again?

Picking up on her puzzled look, Kikyo sighed and began to explain. "You can already sense some auras. Like those of the Shikon shards, and demons. You're coming into your powers, I can tell. One of the most important things you must do to realize your abilities is to be able to pick up auras of people and other things. It will be essential to reuniting the shards of the Shikon jewel, and it will aid you in the rest of your powers as well. You will be able to attune your powers to a person or object's specific aura, making them much more effective than if they were simply randomly disbursed." She gathered up some of the Shikon shards in her hand. "Let me explain how it's done..."

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So...Kikyo's teaching Kagome, who's been captured by the General. Inuyasha's gone off somewhere to vent about losing his mate. Tobias can't quite figure out how to cope with it all. Nobody can. Except me. *grins* REVIEW!


	45. Lessons, Treachery, And Desire

Hi. New chapter time. I feel like my writing abilities have gone down again. Every so often, I go into a slump, and this feels like one of them. So I'm preemptively sorry if the story sucks. It's a lot longer than my average chapter, at about 9 pages long. It details...well, just read the blankety thing.

Oh yeah. Since nobody went to the previous chapter to see the changes (or nobody cared) I'll just put them here, for convenience. Here's the intro change:

'*Sob* *Choke* *Sniff* Sorry for all the emotional stuff, but I've finally broken that barrier...**100,000 WORDS!!!** I did it! I never thought it would be this long but it is! 100,000 words! That's enough for a book! I don't believe it...I honestly do not believe it...Out of 16,873 stories on Inuyasha on ff.net, mine is only one of 41 that broke that accursed barrier. *Tears stream down face* I actually did it! And I'd like to thank those who have been reviewing since the beginning: Kai19 (without whom I would have much less inspiration to keep writing), hersheykiss1012, cinnamin girl, AssassinReiX, and Jou-chan/kitsune-chan/shiro-okami (keeps changing her gol'darn name!). All of you have been instrumental in keeping me working on this project. And I'd also like to extend a big thanks to ALL my reviewers; past, present, and future; because without you, this story would never have sprung from my mind.'

And the story edit:

'"'Marcus!' I cried. 'Spare her! Put me in her place! She is innocent of any crime. I am the one you want. Take me and let her go!' Marcus looked at me, not saying a word. His eyes said enough, filled with malice and contempt. With a single swing of his sword he cut the rope holding up the floor under Maria.

"Maria...my beautiful Maria...died before my eyes."

The General stopped for some minutes, not speaking. Inuyasha glanced at Tobias, and saw that he was looking at something in his palm, with a mingled look of shock and horror. As soon as he noticed Inuyasha looking at him, he hurriedly closed his palm and deposited whatever it was into his pocket. The General, who after all missed nothing, saw this gesture and what he had held. His eyes widened slightly, then the corners of his mouth twitched.

"That..." he said slowly, "would explain an awful lot. But I must continue." He looked at Tobias again, rather pointedly. "It is not altogether unlike your story recalling me and Marcus later on...only the outcome of my memory is a bit better. But the interesting part has not yet come up.'

Time to respond to reviews.

Kai19: Glad I finally got to see your review. Stupid ff.net...grumble grumble... * You're dead-on about Inuyasha. As usual. I swear, I'm not just taking your ideas and passing them off as my own. I really came up with these myself. You're just THAT good at interpreting foreshadowing. * At the severe risk of repeating myself, you've judged that demon extremely well. Read on to see! * Get some sleep. It's not healthy to be up at 1:00 in the morning, even when reading my story. ^_^

Ryguy5387: You feel my pain!

Cerulean: More happiness for everyone indeed. Including me.

DemonSorceress: I know. It sucks when you're reading a gripping story and the author just abandons it partway through. I won't make the same mistake.

AssassinReiX: That's pretty much everyone's reaction, to Kikyo in this fic. Everyone seems to dislike her, even without my help. But...you may change your tune in just one or two chapters...

hersheykiss1012: I know nobody likes Kikyo. But who else would I use? I don't think I'm THAT predictable...but who else would I use under the circumstances? You have a point...

Also, one important detail I must point out. This story is really gloomy-and-doomy lately. I know about that. Rest assured, that despite the cliffhangers (cough), it'll lighten up in just a few chapters. I'm getting tired of writing gloom and doom.

Also, one OTHER important detail I must point out. This story is beginning to wind down. I'd say we are in the last third of the story. Twenty or twenty-five more chapters, and it just might end. I know, it's shocking, but there IS a definite conclusion to the story. Oh, that reminds me. STORY!

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Chapter 45: Lessons, Treachery, And Desire

"So what you're saying is, I'll be able to detect people's...auras? Is that like reading their mind?" Kagome asked. Kikyo had explained and demonstrated for about an hour, but Kagome still didn't entirely understand. There was far too much mysticism in this priestess business. Kagome had reconciled her and Kikyo's temporary truce. What else were they to do? They were both, essentially, prisoners of the General and subject to his will.

"Yes and no," said Kikyo dryly. "You can't just read someone's mind. It's far too complex. It's...it's sort of complicated. You'll be able to pick up on their personality, and some of their surface thoughts, and maybe even some memories. Of course, knowing you, that won't come for a while." Kikyo smirked. Kagome glared.

"Try it. I've shown you how enough times." Kikyo took two shards from the small pile and gave them to Kagome. Kagome concentrated, like Kikyo had told her. She could already sense the power of the Shikon shards; she had been able to do that for years. But there was no sense of anything else, no sense of an 'aura'. Kagome gritted her teeth and strained, her vision darkening and her grip clenching.

"Stop!" commanded Kikyo. Kagome let out a breath and put down. "That's not the way to do it. You'll burst a blood vessel in your brain if you try it that way. Concentrating harder isn't the way to find the aura of the shards. You have to do it a different way. Like this." Kikyo closed her eyes and became perfectly still.

After about thirty seconds of silence, Kagome began to get uncomfortable. _What is she doing? She doesn't look like she's doing anything..._ Kagome thought.

"I may not look like it, Kagome, but I am reading your aura right now," responded Kikyo. Kagome was shocked. So she really would be able to read other people's minds!

"I can hear your surface thoughts, but anything other than that is impossible," said Kikyo in an eerie monotone. "You are radiating purity and goodness, like any miko should. Except..." Without opening her eyes, Kikyo moved her hand right over Kagome's shoulder, right where her mating mark was. "I sense something...right there..." Kagome flushed a little and pulled away. Kikyo opened her eyes.

"What is it?" she asked.

"It's just...an injury, I'm trying to get over. We were attacked just a few days ago and I got hurt kind of badly..." Kagome lied. Evidently, Kikyo was convinced. "Kikyo?" Kagome said. "If you can read auras, why can't you reunite the shards?"

Kikyo gave Kagome a severe look. "I lost some of my abilities when I died," she said, with aggravation tingeing her voice. "I can still heal, and destroy demons, but I can no longer purify shards of the jewel...not that they need purification," she added. "The General purified Naraku's shards already, and yours were already pure. I cannot reunite the shards of the jewel. That power lies in you alone."

Kagome thought for a minute. "How did the General purify Naraku's shards? I thought only I could do that!"

"No, only you can reunite them. Any miko who is powerful enough can purify them. There aren't many of those left, but apparently the General found one." Kikyo smirked again. "And convinced her." Kagome glared at Kikyo again.

"You obviously have no clue what you're doing. Let me show you. First, you have to clear your mind..." Kikyo began going over the necessary steps.

Many, many miles away; Inuyasha was alone. Well, not quite. He was separated from the group, and was engaged in a furious battle with a massive snake demon. As he slashed at it again and again with Tetsusaiga, all he could think about was taking out his frustration and fury on anything he could. He had been purposely searching out fights all day. He hacked one of its teeth out and grimaced as its poisonous tail lashed at him in return.

Inuyasha moved in for the kill, but the demon moved faster. Somehow, it brought its formidable strength to bear and hurled itself through the air right at Inuyasha. Inuyasha was stunned by the ferocious impact and hurled against a wall.

Tetsusaiga flew from his hands and clattered to the ground.

Inuyasha stood, breathing heavily. _My mate...my mate is gone...I have to find her...have to find my MATE!!!_ He raised his head and howled as his demon blood surged through his veins. Stripes appeared on his face as his full-demon side, previously locked away by Tetsusaiga, came roaring out to find Kagome.

He ripped the snake demon to shreds and leaped away. Tetsusaiga lay forgotten on the ground.

"That is all I can teach you today," said Kikyo. They had been trying for hours and hours, and Kagome was beginning to get it. She had been able to pick up a slight energy surrounding the shards. Kikyo had said it was a good start, but that there was much left to do. "I will come back first thing in the morning." She got up and began to walk away, but stopped and turned back. "One last thing." Kikyo gathered up the shards and put them in a pocket of her robes. "I must return these to the General. Suffice it to say that he does not trust you with them. From what I understand, he thinks you will try and run off with them, or some such thing." She left.

A few minutes later, a demon (thankfully not the one that had a grudge against her) brought her some food. Kagome picked at it, her mind not at all on the meal in front of her. _If I reunite the shards, the General will become so powerful that not even Tobias or the others can stop him; and he'll kill all of us. If I don't, he'll kill me anyway. And I'll never see Inuyasha again..._ As soon as she thought Inuyasha's name, a very faint echo went through her mind, and her mating mark seemed to pulse slightly. She stopped, confused.

"What is this?" she said aloud. "Inuyasha?" There it was again. An echo, and she could have sworn she heard Inuyasha's voice in her head. _Maybe...what I learned today..._ She tried calling out to Inuyasha in her mind. She felt a very slight flicker, as if someone had quietly whispered something into her ear.

Kagome thought back to something Sango had said to her a few weeks, when they had come across a mated pair of demons: "_Demons are very closely bonded to their mates. When a pair of demons mates, at first they are just connected normally. But as time goes by, the connection grows immeasurably strong. They can feel each other's emotions and sense each other's presence. It is as if the two demons join to form one soul, which is shared between both of them._" At this point, she had smiled slightly, and turned to Kagome. "_It was said once that when a demon and a priestess were mated, their bond would be such that they would even be aware of each other's thoughts. You might do that with Inuyasha someday, Kagome. But I think it'll be a while before that happens._"

Perhaps enough time had gone by that Kagome's connection to Inuyasha had become even stronger than before. _And the aura-sensing I learned today must have awakened that ability!_ Kagome thought excitedly. She called out to Inuyasha in her mind, mentally shouting his name, over and over, trying to somehow get his attention, however far away he was.

Inuyasha stirred. He perked his head up. He had just heard Kagome's voice. He whirled left and right, trying to find where it had come from. He heard her cry out his name, anguished; begging him to come back to her. Her voice pulsed in his mind, and he pointed his head in the direction it had come from. Inuyasha ran off in that direction, faster than he had ever moved in his life.

Kagome, oddly, was exhausted. Just doing that one small thing seemed to have sapped her energy. She tried again, but could not muster the energy needed for another try. All she could do now was wait and hope, hope that he would come to her.

She felt very hungry all of a sudden and began to eat her dinner. But as soon as she took her first bite, she tasted something different. The rice was...bitter. Kagome swallowed and gagged. There was definitely something funny about this food. It wasn't like this before. There was something different.

Kagome got up, surprised at the effort it took to even stand. She had lost more energy than she thought with her efforts to contact Inuyasha. She opened the door and walked, a little unsteadily, over to what she sincerely hoped was the General's main room. She knocked faintly.

Seven seconds later, the General opened the door. He had a hint of a scowl on his face. Kagome saw something glowing in the room behind him, but she had no time to tell what it was before the General shut the door.

"What is it this time?" he said.

"There's...there's something wrong with my dinner," Kagome said, a little embarrassed to be interrupting him for such a petty thing.

"What? Has it not arrived? As soon as I see that demon again, I shall-"

"No," Kagome interrupted, "it's here, but there's something strange about it. It tastes kind of bitter." The General raised an eyebrow.

"Let me see," he said dryly. He walked over to her room, Kagome close behind. He picked up her bowl and tasted it. The General thought for a second, then took the bowl into the hallway. He hurled it down the corridor, and it flew out the window and outside. The General returned into the room.

"Poison," he said quietly. Kagome gasped. "Someone wants you dead, Kagome. Obviously we have a traitor in our midst. It must be the cook, I will have his head." The General started to leave.

"No!" said Kagome sharply. The General stopped and turned his head back. "I don't think it's the cook," Kagome continued faintly. "I think it's that demon who was in charge of serving me."

"Him? No. He is a very loyal servant. It would not be him. It must be somebody else." The General opened the door.

"I really think it was him. I mean, did you see the way he looked at me? It looked like he wanted to kill me!" said Kagome shrilly.

"If I did not see it, I cannot make judgements based upon it. He is a trusted servant. You are just some silly girl. I trust him more than you, even if he does alter my orders occasionally." The General left, and shut the door behind him.

The next morning, the General accompanied the demon that brought Kagome her breakfast. He tasted it, then put it down, evidently satisfied. The demon bowed to the General and left. The General himself was about to leave when a breathless demon in robes came running up to him, right outside Kagome's doorway.

"My lord," he gasped. "The inu-hanyou is coming. Inuyasha. He has discovered our location and will be here in approximately twenty minutes." Kagome felt a surge of hope and joy that seemed to flood her whole body. _He heard me! He **came!**_

"What?" said the General sharply. "Impossible. Not eight hours ago, he was five hundred miles away." The demon repeated his statement. The General glanced toward Kagome before looking out the small window at the end of the hallway.

"I have never seen a creature move so fast on foot," he said, with a touch of awe in his voice. "Not even the boy." The General seemed to regain his composure (A/N: What's to regain?) and turned to the demon.

"Get Kikyo in here in thirty minutes. I will intercept Inuyasha. He cannot discover our whereabouts." The demon bowed and left. The General muttered something to himself and walked out also.

Inuyasha burst into a clearing. He was close to his mate, he knew it. And nothing and nobody was going to stand in his way. If any people tried, he'd just rip them apart. That thought made him give a feral grin. He bounded along, but stopped suddenly. There was a new threat. He could smell it.

"Inuyasha, I presume," said the General. He stepped in front of Inuyasha, blocking his path. "And yet not Inuyasha? I sense there is something significantly different about you..." His gaze moved to the stripes on Inuyasha's face and the red glint to his eyes. "You are different somehow. And your sword is no longer with you." The General's eyebrows creased a bit. "Now what was it that happened when you lost your sword?" His expression returned to normal. "Oh, yes. You become a full-demon."

"_Shut up,_" growled Inuyasha. "_Get out of way. I need my mate._"

"I would have guessed that it was something about that. Why else would you be so motivated? And why else would you lose seventy-five percent of your vocabulary?" The General walked up to Inuyasha until they were almost touching. He spoke in a low whisper. "But you cannot go any further. Leave now, or I shall make you leave."

With astonishing speed, Inuyasha raked his claws across the General's face. The General, though expecting an attack, was caught slightly off guard and stumbled a bit. Inuyasha leaped over his head and charged, but did not get two steps before the General had recovered. The other man smashed Inuyasha on the head with the flat of his blade. The blow would have been enough to kill a man, but Inuyasha barely felt it as he plunged into battle with a roar.

They traded blows for a few minutes, but the General was inevitably going to win. He was stronger and faster by far; and without his sword, Inuyasha was much less effective against another swordsman. The General dodged Inuyasha's claws, ducked low, and smashed a powerful punch to Inuyasha's chest. Inuyasha howled as he felt his ribs shatter under the impact. The General whirled around and knocked Inuyasha off his feet with one solid blow. As Inuyasha struggled to get back up, the General was upon him again.

With a sickening sound, the General skewered Inuyasha through the chest with his sword. Groaning, Inuyasha lay still. The General pulled his sword out and picked up Inuyasha by his throat.

"If I am lucky, then you will not remember anything you experienced in your full-demon state. So it is only necessary to relocate you, further away." The General lifted Inuyasha over his shoulder and looked into the distance. There was a fairly obvious path of destruction through the normally tranquil forest. "Your route, I assume? Following this may yet lead me to your sword..." He glowed blue, and they both vanished.

After several attempts, the General finally happened upon the ruins of the snake demon and Tetsusaiga. After securing it in Inuyasha's sheath, the General dumped Inuyasha in a clearing. He watched as the demon blood receded and Inuyasha once more became a hanyou. The stress of the battle and his transformation caused Inuyasha to lose consciousness completely. The General nodded slightly and teleported away.

A week passed. Inuyasha had found the group again, after a few days of searching, and they traveled together in a sullen silence. What were they to do? Inuyasha remembered nothing of his sojourn as a full demon, and they had no way to find Kagome. But this did not stop Inuyasha from trying to find her. Tobias claimed that attacking the General was suicide, but Inuyasha would have none of it. So they searched for any trace of the General's whereabouts. They had little luck; as any creature that encountered the General usually died shortly thereafter.

Kagome had caught on quickly to detecting auras. At the evening of the seventh day, she had succeeded in detecting the auras of several objects and small creatures Kikyo had hidden around the room, and describing them in detail. _I'm not telling ANYONE this, but even if I do learn auras, I'm not reuniting the shards!_ thought Kagome fiercely as Kikyo reviewed the day's instructions._ He'll kill everyone he can find, and he'll find EVERYONE!_

"Very good," said Kikyo, and she sounded genuinely impressed. "You have learned much. I am certain that in the morning, you should be ready to try and reunite the jewel shards. Your progress is fast but not entirely surprising...you _are_ coming into your miko powers, and you can learn things very quickly now. I will see you in the morning." She gathered up the jewel shards and left. "You should practice," she called out.

Kagome began to concentrate. Building up her miko powers was important to her; if not for the General's advantage, then for hers. She began to 'see' the auras in the room. There were some fleas in the corner and a spiderweb over the doorway. Kagome could sense the life of these creatures. _This is still kind of strange..._ she thought to herself. _But I have to learn how, if I'm EVER going to put the jewel together. After the General's been dealt with._

The door swung open, and the General walked in. Kagome turned her attention to him. She was concentrating so fiercely that she inadvertently began to read the General's aura.

Kagome hadn't made a worse mistake in years. As soon as she got a glimpse of his aura, Kagome was struck by it.

Evil.

Sheer, all-consuming, evil. Waves of immeasurable evil radiated from him so powerfully, it would have stunned Naraku. He delighted in causing pain, torture, death. Kagome had never felt anything like this before and prayed never to again. The unbelievable force of his evil struck her as hard as a physical blow. Her eyes rolled back into her head and she fainted. She collapsed to the floor, twitching and jerking as if having a seizure.

The General's eyes widened and he took in a sharp breath. "Kikyo," he said. "Get here – _now_." Kikyo had never heard him put so much emotion into one word before. She raced to the doorway and shrieked at Kagome's prone form.

"What have you done to her?" said the General in a dangerous voice.

"I did nothing!" cried Kikyo. "I merely took the shards and left, as I have done always!"

"Do not lie to me, Kikyo!" said the General harshly. "I walked in, and she took one look at me and collapsed. I did nothing. You must have done something."

"I swear it! I swear I did nothing to her!" shouted Kikyo. She was terrified. The General could kill her with an extravagant gesture, and he looked angrier than she had ever seen him before. "I swear, by the spirit of the Shikon no Tama, that I did not cause her to do this! I do not know what happened!"

The General said nothing. He stared at Kagome. She had recovered a little, and was blinking. The force of the General's aura had left her with a throbbing headache and blurry vision. Kagome was still incredulous as to how one man could possibly contain such evil in his heart, and yet contain it under an appearance of such calm. She struggled to her feet.

"Are you all right?" said the General quietly. "You do not look well. Are you ill?"

"No...I...I don't know," lied Kagome. _What can I say? That I read his mind and was overwhelmed?_ "I guess...I just put a little too much effort into practicing today." The General did not seem convinced.

"Do not leave the room or attempt anything strenuous. I will return shortly, and try to figure out what has happened." He swept out, taking Kikyo with him.

They rounded the corner and nearly bumped into a demon. He was the one who had threatened Kagome back in the servants' room. He snapped into a salute.

"My lord," he said. "Inuyasha is back." The General nearly grimaced. "But he is not alone. He appears to be following something. Our scouts cannot identify it, but describe it as wispy and ethereal, like a ghost." Kikyo took in a quick breath. _One of my soul stealers..._ Neither her nor the General noticed the small grin on the demon's face.

"General," Kikyo said quickly. "I must attend to Kagome. I realize now what the problem is." She hurried away without waiting for the General's consent. The General watched her leave, then turned back to the demon.

"I cannot go out again. We will have to send out troops in my stead. Write this down." The demon produced a sheet of parchment and a quill and started copying. The General rapped out orders in efficient military style.

"Send thirty archers, Inuyasha has no distance weapons. Try to keep him afar. Include ten berserkers and order them to disarm him. As long as he has his sword with him, you are all in danger. He has a sword technique known as the Kaze no Kizu which can destroy many demons in one swing. Include five ice elites, they are unaffected by his power. Tell them to subdue him somehow, and include some demon blood tranquilizer to keep him down once they knock him out. Do not kill him. Be off." The demon left. As he turned away, he snickered to himself.

"He thinks he's so smart," he sniggered. "But I've outsmarted them all." He continued to giggle to himself as he went down the hallways.

Kikyo ran into Kagome's room and slammed the door.

"Kikyo!" said Kagome faintly. "I was-"

"I don't care," snapped Kikyo. "I have things to do. I can't let you or even the General interfere. This is important." She waved her hand and muttered some words. The far wall began to glow. She walked _into_ the wall and vanished.

Half a second later, the General opened the door. A quick glance told him that Kagome was alone.

"Where is Kikyo?" he said calmly.

"I...I don't know," said Kagome, a little shakily. Her fear of the General was reaffirmed in the face of this new truth about him. "She kind of...vanished." Kagome gestured vaguely towards the wall. "She walked into the wall and-"

"A dimension door," murmured the General. "Nothing seems to be working out lately." He looked at Kagome. "Fortunately, I have a backup plan for just such an eventuality. I lined up another miko to teach you, in case something should happen to Kikyo. I will call her, and she will be here sometime tomorrow." He glanced at the floor where Kagome had fallen. "In the meantime, get some sleep. If you are as overexerted as you say, you should have plenty of rest before undertaking any more activity." He swept out of the room.

Later that night, Kagome was asleep. She really WAS tired after such a jarring experience. She turned over in the bed and mumbled something unintelligible.

She never noticed the door open, so quietly that even Inuyasha would have trouble hearing it. A dark figure slunk into the room. It closed the door even more softly than it had opened it, and crept over to Kagome's bedside. With one swift movement, it pinned Kagome to the bed and covered her mouth roughly.

Kagome came awake sharply, to the feeling of a heavy body on top of her. She tried to scream, but her mouth was covered.

"Bitch," a voice growled. Trembling, Kagome recognized it as the demon who had scorned her. "They all think they're so smart. But I outsmarted them all. Inuyasha hadn't really come. That was just to get rid of Kikyo." He clenched her tighter to him. "And now I have you...all to myself."

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Cliffhanger. I know. Please don't hunt me down and lay siege to my house with an army of pitchfork-and-torch wielding angry fangirls. (Great, now you've given them an idea.) Ahem. Just REVIEW, and try and repress the homicidal urges. If my house burns down, how will I ever finish writing the story? **REVIEW!**


	46. Kikyo's Second Mighty Downfall

HELLO! Updates have been mighty scarce...final exams will do that to you. EVIL EXAMS! Anyway. I was writing this most recent chapter, and writing and writing and writing, and then I realized it was too long for one chapter. So I split it into two. EDIT Since FanFiction.Net has very graciously now allowed me to delete the junk chapters in my story, I have no need to put up two chapters in one slot. So I put them both into their own separate chapter thingies./EDIT

Finals are really killing me, and not to mention I had to bring home not one but TWO tubas yesterday...in a four-seater Saturn. See, I needed a concert tuba to play in this Tubafest thing (where tubas come in from all over to play Christmas carols – from elementary school to professionals, everyone's invited) and I needed a sousaphone, because my mother had this bright idea that when we go caroling this year, I could accompany them on the tuba. Oh well. Loading them and unloading them was a bitch, but they're all here.

As I spin off in random directions...argh. I always think I've forgotten to say something here, but I never know what it is. Then, three days later, I remember. "Ah!" I think to myself. "I will put it in when I get home!" But I forget. I have the attention span of a jar of honey. HONEY! Damn, that stuff is good. You ever make hot lemonade with honey? Best sore throat remedy in the world. Where was I?

Oh, now I remember. REVIEWS!

Kai19: About Kikyo being convinced...you have a good point. So I address that in this chapter. Look for it. * Well...then this is an EXTRA-SPECIAL snake demon, then. I don't know, I'm just writing this. Maybe the General and the witch bred it... * Yeah, you're pretty much on-track about the demon. I mean, what do you THINK he's gonna do? * Well, there's a few problems with that distance-weapon theory. First, Kazaana is gone. Remember? Naraku's dead and all? Second, as far as the General thought, Inuyasha was alone. Sango and Miroku weren't with him. Inuyasha, by himself, has no distance weapons. * Is my story that transparent that you can just tell what's gonna happen, or are you always this good at predicting things? It's gotta be one of the two...

Breshcandra: Well, he didn't want to kill him YET...he could have so much more fun later when it's more of an even fight.

Cerulean: No! I have a morbid fear of pitchforks and fire! Fire bad! Graagh! Me Frankenstein's monster! ... Whatever.

Catkyn: You're not supposed to feel SORRY for the General! Geez...I mean, yeah, he was really put-upon, but does that excuse all the killings and such?

Ryguy5387: I say 'fangirls' because I think fangirls constitute the vast majority of my readers. You (I mean, look at your name!) are an exception, but...If you (or anyone) is willing to tell me your gender, then by all means. I need to know my audience to know how to write to them.

slvrstarlight: That's definitely a big choice, isn't it. Well, you can try to choose again at the end. I think it'll be made easier.

Silver Warrior: Tybalt's blades? Marcus's blade? ... I'm not saying anything, just yet.

RUSHYUO: The General's real name? That would be telling, wouldn't it? Also, try to keep it down with the death threats. With all the work I have to do, I usually update about once a week. Four days is exceptionally fast for me.

draca8u: I am a guy. And yes, tuba rules, except when it shatters your spine under its weight. My email is a sack of crap, so I can't email you back...just keep reading.

Madeline Gott: Yes. Yes I did.

hersheykiss1012: I'll be disappointed too. But all things must come to an end.

AssassinReiX: Your wish is the General's command. *evil smile*

lunarinuyasha: There won't be as much suspense anymore. Not this chapter, anyway.

Whoo. Busy, busy, busy. And guess what? NO CLIFFHANGER THIS TIME! I SWEAR IT! **STORY!**

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Chapter 46: Kikyo's Second Mighty Downfall

Kagome tried again to cry out, but the demon's hand roughly pressed down on her mouth. She struggled and thrashed, but he was far stronger than her. _Fuck!_ she screamed in her head. _If I could just get a hand free..._ Her right hand began to glow white.

The demon noticed. "Don't even try, bitch," he snarled. He leaned his full weight on her to keep her down while he smashed his fist down on her hand. Kagome gave a muffled shriek as she felt the bones splinter under the powerful impact. "You can't do anything, now. You're mine." He ripped off her shirt and flung the tattered pieces into a corner. "Maybe, when I'm done, I'll-" He abruptly stopped speaking as he stared at her shoulder.

Inuyasha's mating mark lay bare for all to see. The demon's mood took a turn for the worse as he let out a full-body growl.

"Mated, huh? To that worthless hanyou? When I'm done with you, maybe I'll do him a favor." He leaned his head close to her ear. "I'll give him your body," he whispered. "He'll just love that, won't he?"

Kagome, seized by a sudden idea, jerked her head upwards. The demon snarled as the back of her head smashed into his sensitive nose. The hand over her mouth slackened for an instant, and Kagome got her mouth free.

"_HELP!!_" she shrieked, as loudly as she could. Somewhere, in her head, a mocking thought ran through. _Who are you calling for help? The General? You're calling **the General** for help?!_

The demon slashed his claws across her face before quickly covering up her mouth again. "Goddammit, bitch, don't _do_ that," he growled. "You need to learn to be more submissive." He pummeled her body with his free hand, eliciting yelps and wails of pain from the captive girl beneath him. "Besides, it's not like anyone's gonna save you now." With his free hand, he tore off his hakama and tossed it aside.

The General sat in his room, deep in thought. A demon in armor walked into the room.

"My lord," he said slavishly. "Inuyasha was not found anywhere in the vicinity. Our scouts are still searching, but we can find no trace of him." The General looked up.

"There will be no use for that. He is obviously not here. We must have miscalculated. Call back the troops." The demon bowed deeply and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. The General stood up and began to pace.

__

There is very obviously something going on here, he pondered. _But what is it? What possible connection could all of these clues have?_ He pondered over all of the strange occurrences over the last few weeks.

"_She's only a human. I mean, they're inferior. She's not nearly as important as me._"

"_I really think it was him. I mean, did you see the way he looked at me? It looked like he wanted to kill me!_"

"_My lord, Inuyasha is back._"

"_Where is Kikyo?_" "_I...I don't know. She kind of...vanished._"

The General paced around some more. _And now, it is revealed that Inuyasha was indeed not here,_ he thought. _If he were, he would surely have revealed himself by now. All of these clues come together..._ He stopped and looked at the door. _And add up to-_

"_HELP!!_" came a scream from Kagome's room.

__

That. The General barreled out of the room and dashed down the hallway. Approaching Kagome's door, he swung a fist towards it.

Inside the room, both Kagome and the demon were shocked as the door burst off of its hinges, flew across the room, and shattered to splinters on the far wall. The demon leapt off of Kagome and turned to face the General, but the General was already moving in.

A powerful backhand sent the demon spiraling away, and he had not yet regained his footing when the General hit him with a fierce uppercut. He flew into the ceiling and cracked the stone under the impact. As he fell, the General caught him and rammed him into the floor. A veritable crater appeared in the ground and dust flew as the General's attack hit home. The General stood up.

Kagome uncurled herself from the fetal position she had adopted when the General had burst in. Eyes watering with pain, she looked at the demon embedded in the floor. She could have sworn he was dead, but she saw him twitch and groan faintly. Kagome glanced at the General and noticed he was staring at her intently. Realizing that her clothes had been torn off, she desperately tried to cover herself with her unbroken hand. Tears of pain and shame dripped from her eyes. The General said and did nothing. He only thought.

__

I have slain entire cities, just to brighten up a dreary afternoon, he thought. _I have killed many a child while its mother still holds it to her breast. I have felt not a twinge of regret from killing, torturing, raping. And yet..._ He looked at Kagome's face, or what of it he could see. _She is utterly defeated, completely broken. I could take her with almost no effort. And yet..._ He looked at the ground, where the demon still lay._ Is this...do I feel...pity?_

The General blinked, and shook his head slightly. _I must be confused. No matter. As long as nobody knows of this lapse of judgement, all shall be well. Besides,_ he thought, _she is far too damaged for any sort of strenuous activity. Were I to take her now, it would undoubtedly kill her._

Aloud he said, "Kagome, come with me." He beckoned slightly to her. Kagome tried to get up, but nearly collapsed with the pain it brought. The General sighed slightly, then went over to Kagome. He picked her up, bridal-style. He took Kagome's blanket, which had not been shredded, and draped it over her nearly naked body, for some semblance of modesty. He carried her from the room. His touch was amazingly gentle, considering he had such strength.

The General walked into his room. There were odd things and scrolls of paper scattered about, but Kagome was not particularly paying attention to her surroundings. He opened a door that looked like it was made of solid iron and brought Kagome inside.

There was a bed, an actual feather bed, with silk sheets and pillows. Its base was magnificently carved mahogany. The rest of the room had similarly opulent accoutrements; from an ornately carved lamp to a polished oak dresser. A window looked out onto a massive courtyard, filled with fruit trees and flowers. The General gently set her down on the bed and walked away a short distance. He turned back to her.

"I possess many powers, but healing is not among them. You are severely hurt; however, you are also a miko, and your powers are growing by the day. You can already, most likely, use your powers to heal others...why not use them to heal yourself? Otherwise, you will be bedridden for a very long time." Kagome tried to sit up, but failed.

"This room is magically sealed against anyone entering except for me and those that I choose. I will bring you your meals. Your instructor should be here in the morning. Good night." The General swept out of the room, but turned back a little.

"One last thing...that demon is still alive. I have no tolerance for those who would abuse my most powerful allies. I shall have some fun tonight." The corners of his mouth twitched as he walked out and closed the door behind him.

Kagome lay still and in great pain. But the General's words still rang in her ears. "_Why not use them to heal yourself?_" _I've never done that before..._ she thought. _But, it's either that, or..._ She shivered. Kagome tried to clear her mind, as she had done before. She began to pick up on some faint auras around the room.

Hoping that it would work, Kagome tried to focus her energies inwardly, to sense her own aura. She kept at it for two minutes straight. Nothing. Three minutes...four minutes...at exactly four minutes and fifty-seven seconds, her aura suddenly snapped into focus, like a key turning in a lock.

Kagome was a little startled, but focused on her powers. Little by little, a white glow began to creep over her body. Slowly, incredibly slowly; she could feel the pain soothing and her body mending. For five hours straight she healed herself, until finally there was nothing left to do. Her body was whole.

Kagome sat up. For some reason, she did not feel the slightest bit tired. A quick glance out the window told her that dawn had come. It was a very pretty view. The sun was peeking over the horizon, casting a dappled light on the trees. There were hummingbirds flitting about, gathering nectar from honeysuckle flowers; bumblebees buzzed around, collecting pollen; a beautiful white bird Kagome could not identify was singing in a sakura tree. Kagome was so absorbed in the scene before her, she did not notice the General coming up behind her.

"I see you have managed to heal yourself," he said quietly. Kagome jumped and quickly covered herself with the blanket. "Here are some clothes." The General put some priestess's robes on the bed next to Kagome. "Your instructor will arrive in one hour, and I expect you to be ready by then." He left.

Kagome stirred. She began to get dressed slowly. _Who's this new instructor? Another miko, that's for sure. But who could it be? Kikyo's gone...hey...where IS Kikyo anyway? Has she...has she gone to Inuyasha?_

Inuyasha stomped through the woods. He had had no luck in locating even a fraction of a clue of where Kagome was, and he was majorly pissed off for it. Demanding some time alone, he had stalked off from the rest of the group, but only after they made him promise to come back this time.

"Dammit!" he swore. "Where is she? Where the fuck is she?!"

"She's right here, my love," came a voice from the trees. Inuyasha nearly broke his neck, jerking his head over to where the voice came from. With a bound he was right there, but when he got into a clearing, his face fell. It was Kikyo, surrounded by her soul stealers. They swirled mystically around her as she approached Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha," she cooed, embracing him. He did not respond. "I love you." Inuyasha said nothing. "Kagome's finally out of the way, and we're far from the others...you can finally fulfill your promise."

"What do you mean, Kagome's out of the way?" Inuyasha said. This conversation was definitely going in a direction he did not like.

"What do you think I mean? She's dead. The General killed her." Inuyasha froze, as solid as a statue. "I saw her die, with my own eyes," Kikyo continued. "Isn't it time to move on? Besides, did you really love that pale imitation of me?"

Nothing Kikyo had said past "She's dead" had registered with Inuyasha. Every instinct in his body was going ballistic. A great scream, a cry, a howl, came ripping through his throat, to burst forth into a wail like nothing he had ever known. But even as the combined sadness, fury, frustration, and horror welled up inside of him...he knew.

__

She isn't dead, Inuyasha thought motionlessly. At first, he didn't really believe it; it was just a vague hope. But he began to realize. _She isn't dead. I would know it. I can still feel her._ The emotion was dying down, to be replaced by anger at Kikyo. _I would know it, I would feel it, I would see it and smell it and hear it if she died! No, she is not dead!_ He turned to Kikyo.

"...had better be ready," Kikyo said. Inuyasha just now began to listen. "So let's go."

"No," said Inuyasha tonelessly.

"What?" said Kikyo sharply. She hadn't expected this at all.

"No," Inuyasha repeated. "I'm not going to hell with you, Kikyo."

"Why not?!" Kikyo snapped. "I already told you! Kagome is dead!"

"No, she isn't," said Inuyasha softly. "I would know."

"How?!" shrieked Kikyo. She was beside herself with rage and frustration. This was going all wrong.

"Because she is my mate. I am linked to her. If she was dead, I would know it, and she is still alive." Kikyo stepped back as though she had been physically struck.

"But...but I would have..." Kikyo let out a cry. _The break in her aura!_ she thought furiously. _That was it! A mating mark! She must have veiled it...hidden it from me without even knowing what she was doing. Why couldn't I see it? How could I be so blind?_ Kikyo readied for another outburst, but instead forced herself to calm down. There were things yet left to do.

"But Inuyasha..." she purred. "Alive or dead, Kagome is beyond your reach. The General has her, and he won't release her. You can't beat him. Kagome is gone to you. Why not go for the real person instead of just a bad imitation, my reincarnation?"

"She may be your reincarnation, Kikyo, but she isn't you," Inuyasha said. "Kagome is...well, Kagome's vibrant, and bouncy, and full of life. You...even before you died, you were always cold, and...lifeless."

"She is a mere mockery of me!" shouted Kikyo. Her anger was rapidly giving way to sorrow. This was the first time Inuyasha had ever actually pushed her away. "She's just-"

"Just Kagome. Just mine. Just perfect," Inuyasha finished. Kikyo's face twisted, but her eyes burned with unshed tears. "I love Kagome, Kikyo. That will never change," Inuyasha said softly. He began to walk away.

Tears dripped from Kikyo's eyes. "I thought you loved me..." she whispered. Inuyasha stopped at the edge of the clearing and turned his head back.

"I did," he whispered back. Then he left.

Kikyo fell to her knees, sobbing. She raised one trembling hand in front of her. Her soul stealers began to boil and writhe, flowing into an almost liquid mass, growing brighter and brighter. They all swirled around Kikyo and into her hand. A glowing ball of energy grew from her outstretched palm. With one final sob, Kikyo clasped her hand to her chest, where her heart would have been. The light was absorbed into her.

Points of light appeared; shining from her eyes, her mouth, the pads of her fingernails. Light began to pour from her, until she was engulfed in it. Then, it abruptly vanished.

Only a small pile of ashes remained where Kikyo had knelt. A light breeze came by and scattered them into the woods.

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So. Ding, dong, the witch is dead (permanently this time, I swear it). Kikyo is now officially out of the picture. But gasp! What about Kagome? Who is her mysterious new teacher...? Well, anyone who read this chapter back when I originally posted this one and the next one in one slot already knows, but who really gives a damn anyway. I'm just writing this. REVIEW!!!


	47. The Great Escape

Well...umm...not much to say here. I did all the introduction stuff in the last intro. For those of you just joining us, I had several "Author's Note" chapters cluttering up the chapter select bar. So I put two chapters into one slot in a vain attempt to restore harmony to the universe. Literally, just a few days ago (and I never noticed, silly silly me) FanFiction.Net, in a stroke of brilliance, gives us the ability to delete chapters. So I did. But then, there was no need for two chapters in one slot. So I've broken it back into two again, and for once since Chapter 4 (way back last April, I think) the chapter select bar is in sync with the chapter numbers. So. For review responses, inane babble, and the like...go to last chapter. For now, STORY!

(Hang about, I just realized I never titled Chapter 47. Good thing I had one in reserve, for just such an occasion.)

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Chapter 47: The Great Escape

Kagome had only just finished getting ready when the General opened the door. There was someone behind him, but she could not immediately tell who it was.

"She is the last capable miko I have been able to find," said the General. "So please, try to ensure she stays around. I rationalized that if the former guardian of the Shikon no Tama was not available, the next best thing..." The person behind the General stepped into the room.

"Is her sister," the General finished. Kaede stood in front of the General. She did not look afraid, merely calm. The General pulled a small leather pouch from his pocket and put it on the table in front of Kagome.

"The shards," he said. "Do hurry up, I would like to make a wish soon." He swept out and shut the door behind him.

Kagome rushed forward and hugged Kaede.

"What happened? How did he find you?" Kagome gasped. Kaede pulled away from Kagome and looked at her with a steady eye.

"I came willingly, child," she said in her gravelly voice. Kagome gaped.

"_Willingly_?! But-"

"Calm yourself, Kagome. Allow me to explain." Kagome sat down rather heavily. "The General came to my village. I saw him coming before he encountered the townsfolk. I had heard of what he did to innocent villagers, so I left to meet him before he came." She took a deep breath. "He told me what he had come to do. I agreed to come with him, on the condition that he would not harm any of the people in the village. He promised, so I came. However, his reason for my coming and my reason for my coming are very different indeed."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that he meant me to come to help ye unite the jewel shards." Kaede smiled. "I came to help ye escape. I knew of your predicament, and even Inuyasha could not save ye from this."

"But how will you?" Kagome blurted. "How could you get me out of here?"

Kaede remained calm. "Child, do ye not understand how it is the General teleports?" Kagome shook her head. "He cannot do it naturally. He is using the shards."

"The shards? How??"

"The shards of the sacred jewel may be used for more than gaining strength and speed, Kagome," said Kaede evenly. "If one has enough power, one may manipulate them to create powerfully magical effects. The General uses the shards to help himself teleport. He teleported both himself and me back to his castle, here. As soon as I experienced it, I knew it was the shards' power."

"But...what does that have to do with me?" Kagome said faintly.

"Are ye not listening, child? The shards can be used for magical purposes – if one has the power to manipulate them so. I do not. Nor do you." Kaede smiled again. "But if we were to combine our powers..."

"Are you saying..." Kagome was beginning to understand. "That I would be able to teleport away?" Kaede nodded. "And the General?"

"He would not be able to teleport after ye. Ye would bring the shards with ye on the teleportation journey. Ye would have the shards, and ye would be far away from the General." Kaede glanced at the door. "But we must act with haste. The General will know when you leave, and will be here shortly after."

"Wait..." Kagome just realized something. "When _I_ leave? What about you?"

"I do not think we have the strength between us to teleport more than one person, and it would be useless to teleport me away." Kagome's eyes widened, and her eyebrows went up.

"But...but...when the General finds out you've helped me escape, he'll..."

"I know, Kagome. But we all must make sacrifices to protect that which we hold most dear." Kaede walked close to Kagome and smiled slightly. "If the General keeps ye here much longer, he may kill ye. And I cannot allow that to happen. It is partly my duty to protect the guardian of the Shikon no Tama. If he gets the jewel, a great darkness will envelop the earth. Ye are more important than me."

Kagome's eyes glossed over with tears, and she hugged Kaede tightly. "There, there, child," Kaede said soothingly. "It will be all right." Kaede released Kagome and stepped back a little.

"Now," she said, turning more businesslike, "I need your help. We have only a small amount of time before the General comes back. I will show you what to do." Kaede closed her eyes and became perfectly still. The pouch on the table began to glow, then it burst asunder. The shards floated in midair.

"Ye must concentrate, child," Kaede said. "Focus on the shards. Feel their power. Let it flow through you. I will take care of the rest." Kagome began to focus on the aura of the shards. She could feel their power, but this time it was different. It was as if their energy was washing over her like a wave of warm water. Through her nearly-closed eyes, she saw her body beginning to glow.

The room grew hazy and indistinct. She could barely hear Kaede's voice saying, "I will bring ye to Inuyasha, for he alone can protect ye." A blinding flash passed in front of her eyes, and then everything went black.

The General looked up. The demon with whom he had been talking stopped, and stared at him. _I most definitely felt something just now...like a surge of energy. It was coming from Kagome's room._ He began to walk over, ignoring the demon. He passed through the hallways and walked into his room. Opening the metal door, he entered the room to find...

Kaede, and only Kaede. Her eyes were closed. Kagome was nowhere to be seen. The shards were missing. The General narrowed his eyes, walking into the room and shutting the door behind him.

"Where is Kagome?" he said. His voice was as calm as ever, but Kaede was already reading his aura and searching his thoughts. She knew that he was alarmed at her disappearance.

"She is beyond your reach now, General. And the shards are with her." The General's eyes widened. _This is very bad,_ he thought. _I have been using the shards to locate Kagome, and to teleport...without the shards, I have no way of finding Kagome, Inuyasha...or the boy._ Kaede smiled.

She put her hand up to her temple. It glowed faint yellow, and a tiny ball of yellow energy appeared in her palm. Kaede lifted her hand, and the ball of energy began to float away. The General made a grab for it, but it floated straight through his hand and the window, to fly away into the forest.

"What was that?" the General demanded.

"Your thoughts, General," said Kaede, still smiling. The General grimaced. "Now Kagome knows ye cannot find her." The General drew his sword with a flourish and advanced on Kaede. "Kill me if ye wish, General. I have served my purpose."

Faster than anyone could see, the General's sword flashed in his hands.

The General strode into a room. The witch was mixing some herbs and turned around to meet the General.

"Grizelda, there has been a bit of a problem. Kagome has escaped with the shards." The witch upset her bowl of herbs, turning around so quickly to face the General.

"WHAT? How? This is certainly going to gum up the works..." Her ugly face squinched up in thought. The General wiped his blade on a rag and sheathed it.

"Also, Lady Kaede is no longer with us." The witch seemed about to ask, but comprehension dawned. She glanced at his sword. The General nodded.

Kagome awoke. She had been unconscious for no more than a few seconds, she knew that much. She was dizzy, but in one piece and hopefully where she needed to be. She was back in the forest. Looking around, Kagome tried to get a bearing on her surroundings.

Kagome heard a noise, all of a sudden. Listening carefully, she realized it was Inuyasha grumbling. _Inuyasha...INUYASHA!_ Her heart sang with joy as she picked herself up and sprinted in the direction of his voice.

Inuyasha was brooding, standing in the middle of a clearing. He had finally rejoined his companions, but they were making sure to keep their distance from him. Tobias was the only one who felt safe getting near him. The others were currently resting on the opposite side of the clearing.

He meant all of what he had said to Kikyo, but some of her words still rang in his head. "_Alive or dead, Kagome is beyond your reach._" The awful truth of it was, she was right. There was absolutely nothing Inuyasha could do to get Kagome back, and he knew it.

A twig snapping caught his attention, and he looked up.

Kagome stood on the edge of the clearing he was in.

Inuyasha swore the entire world disappeared around him, except for the sight of Kagome running toward him. Time seemed to go in slow motion as he stood, stock-still, watching her. _It's a dream,_ he thought frantically. _She couldn't have escaped. I'll blink or I'll wake up and then she'll be gone. This can't be real._

Then Kagome reached him, and hugged him, and buried her face in his kimono and sobbed. And in that instant, he knew it was real.

His arms flew around her, crushing her to him. No words were spoken. No words were needed. Inuyasha kissed Kagome on the neck, softly, making her shiver. She lifted her head from his shoulder and kissed him on the lips. He groaned as her mouth opened, and he slipped his tongue inside.

Every instinct in his body – demon _and_ human – was roaring at him to reaffirm his claim, to bond with his mate, to hold her to him forever. Kagome was feeling the same, the terrible urging _need_ to feel him again. She could almost sense his instincts and his desire flowing through him, like they were one body sharing the same soul.

One of her hands delved into his hakama to feel his bare skin underneath. They were holding each other so tightly, Inuyasha thought they might be permanently fused together. _Which,_ thought Inuyasha, moments before his last scrap of conscious thought was lost to desire; _might not be such a bad thing after all._

Tobias looked up. Inuyasha had finally stopped muttering to himself. That was new...he'd been grumbling and growling for a week straight. What had happened? Tobias looked over at Inuyasha. He was locked in a deep and passionate embrace with...Kagome!

"Kagome?" Tobias said. The others looked up. Indeed, it was Kagome!

"KAGOME!" cried Shippo. He leaped forward towards her. "Kagomeeeeeee-oof!" For just as he had left the ground, Sango's arm shot out and grabbed him by the tail, and he collapsed to the floor.

Tobias began to move towards them, but was stopped by Sango. "Let's just go," she whispered, motioning into the trees.

"But I-" Tobias didn't get very far before Sango dragged him and Shippo off. Miroku followed, although not without sneaking a peek backwards once or twice. Once they were in the foliage, Sango stopped.

"You still don't understand their connection, do you?" she whispered. "They haven't seen each other for over a week, and each thought the other was lost forever. That may not seem like much to you, Tobias, but understand that their connection runs deeper than you can fathom. We'd better not disturb them."

"Disturb them? Doing what?" Tobias obviously didn't get it. He turned back to the clearing. "What's to disturb them fro – Okay..." he said, quickly turning back around, face red, "...let's just stay here for a while." He sat down and rubbed his eyes.

Much later, the group was still in the same spot. They had lit a fire, and were sitting moodily around it. Tobias checked his watch, and looked up at the sky. The sun was setting.

"Well...this is awkward," he said. Miroku gave him a dour look.

"That's the fifth time you've said that, Tobias," he said.

"Well, pardon me for being five times awkward." Tobias said dryly. He glanced back at the clearing. "Are they done yet?"

"I don't know," said Sango. She was absently stroking Kirara. "But we'd better check...I mean, what if something attacked them now? They wouldn't even notice. If they're asleep – which I don't doubt they will be after they're through – then they're extremely vulnerable."

"Well," said Miroku, standing up, "I must then take it upon myself to go-"

"No," said Sango, Tobias, and Shippo simultaneously. Sango stood up. "I should check," she said quietly. "Kagome's my friend. She would understand."

"I'll go," said Tobias. The others looked at him. "The way I see it, I'm the only one tough enough to survive the beating Inuyasha would give me if he caught any of us looking." Sango looked at Miroku, who looked back at Sango, who nodded.

Tobias crept out of the brush. Three seconds later, he returned, his face flaming red. "Well..." he said, uncomfortably. "They're...certainly...flexible." Everyone sweatdropped.

"I don't think we needed to know that, Tobias," said Miroku.

"Got a lot of stamina, those two," Tobias said dryly. "I wouldn't think a human like Kagome..."

"Well, she IS a miko, and mated with a demon," said Sango. "Besides..." She blushed as she spoke. "Inuyasha is doing most of the...work."

Tobias lit a cigarette. "I'm running out of these damn things," he said to himself. "Oh well. They'll kill me anyway." He chuckled.

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Not much to say. Inu & Kag are getting quite a workout, aren't they? REVIEW!


	48. A Compromising Situation

*Commits seppuku*

Well, not really, but it's the only way I could think of for penance. Eleven days without an update...my heart bleeds. (Literally. Everyone's heart bleeds.) But seriously, I'm really sorry. I got swept up in the Christmas season, coupled with the whole deal with deleting chapters and breaking up older ones into newer ones, then I had to install Windows XP on my computer and forgot to install Word, and there was also a fair bit of just plain laziness. So, I'm really sorry. Please, forgive me...?

Anyway. The story has taken quite the depressing turn lately, and I decided that that was quite enough of that. So, this chapter, and the next few, is going back to the old playful style with which I wrote the first dozen or so chapters. You know. Fun-type.

Oh yes, one more important thing. I was thinking, "Maybe I could include THIS plot element in the story." But then I realized that it wouldn't fit. So, I began to think...what if I were to write ANOTHER story? Not a sequel, a completely different story. I'm seriously considering it... REVIEWS!!!

Kai19: I'm fairly certain Sango made sure Shippo didn't see too much. But yeah, Inuyasha was kind of in full-instinct mode right about then. * It's hard to write about suicide and living with the undead, isn't it? * There's a definite reason...(I just haven't thought of it yet. Don't tell anyone.) Oh crap, did I just write that out loud? * Hate to say it, but I have no clue what Bakuryuuha is. I haven't seen the entire series. * I kind of do think like you, don't I? * Kaede sacrificed herself to save Kagome. It's as simple as that. It was a difficult decision to make, but one she made quite honorably. * Just try not to mention updating in a timely fashion to me, okay? I'm still tarnished with the shame of this one...

Inufan101: See above for what took me.

Ryguy5387: I've decided that there were too many cliffhangers.

Silver Warrior: They do, but there's a bit of a problem. And yeah, Tobias is kind of a dolt sometimes.

AssassinReiX: Whenever I can? Sure thing. I've been doing it that way for 48 chapters now.

lunarinuyasha: I do that a lot, sending in plot elements from deep right field.

CharMoonshineINU: Yes. Yes, she did.

slvrstarlight: *twitch* Why will you say, that I am mad? *twitch* The disease had sharpened my senses, *twitch* not dulled them, *twitch* not destroyed them. *twitch twitch* Right. Enough of Edgar Allen Poe. And the flexible comment? Ehh...reread Chapter 39 and figure it out for yourself.

hersheykiss1012: It's not close to over, but it will end eventually. Don't worry though...I have an idea for a NEW story.

Megu-Sama: That much *cough* exertion would tire anyone out. Out of curiosity, how did you post those little symbols in your review???

inu_babe666: It does, doesn't it. It's all part of my master plan, to ensnare all that read. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

LewdaKris: Bear in mind that I have no idea what you're talking about. If it's a compliment, thanks very much.

Saki: Well, now you know what it's like...ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CLIFFHANGER! **MWAHAHAHAHA!!!!**

Hino Mitsukiko: I know, but I leave out all those superfluous 'u's. They aren't pronounced and they aren't in the American version. I always thought Tessaiga was a gross misspelling. *Sweatdrops* A little insane, are we? And I didn't know about all those other attacks. Let us assume, for the moment...neither does he.

draca8u: TUBA r0xx0rs your b0xx0rs!!

Rushyuo: All things considered, it's a good thing you don't know my address. Else it might be like that Stephen King story "Misery".

DemonSorceress: I know. I know. Sorry. Explained above.

Jeanne-chan56: Reading the whole thing in one go takes quite a bit. You should be proud. Of course, so should I. **_BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!_** Yes, it is quite long. I never planned it to be THAT long...things just turned out that way.

JUNA: She *might* be pregnant again...think about it. I have a thing for Inu/Kag stories. In my eyes, that's just how it was meant to be. Sesshomaru is not meant for Kagome...Inuyasha beating the General? Improbable. You've seen the General's might. Now, if Inuyasha were to team up with some other(s)...I really don't know as much about Miroku and Sango's personality as much as Kagome and Inuyasha's, so yeah, they're kind of in the background.

cinnamin girl: Well, how ELSE would you propose Kagome escape? Hmm? I'm waiting...Seriously, that was the best way I could think of. You can count on me to update...(and in the future, hopefully in a more timely fashion!)

SSSSSSTTTTTTOOOOOORRRRRRYYYYYY!!!!!!

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Chapter 48: A Compromising Situation

Tobias stirred. Shaking himself from the languor that for him, supplanted sleep; he looked around at his companions...all sleeping. He looked up...the sun was rising. He pricked up his ears...silence from the clearing.

He stood up, stretched, yawned, and chanced a peek through the foliage to where Inuyasha and Kagome had *ahem* lain. Tobias didn't see any movement. _Heh. They finally tired themselves out._ Hoping that nobody else was awake, he crept out.

Whereupon he immediately averted his eyes. The glimpse that Tobias had caught had revealed to him quite a bit of Inuyasha and Kagome that he had never planned on seeing. _That, and Inuyasha will rip my throat out if he thinks I'm peeking at Kagome._ Looking away, he started to retreat back into the brush; but, not actually looking where he was going, he smashed into a tree.

Tobias bit his tongue to stop from cursing aloud as he rubbed his forehead. His attention was diverted, however, by a soft _crackle noise. Looking over to the tree, he saw the last of its very dry, very crunchy dead leaves falling around it. __Impact must have knocked them loose, he thought with some chagrin. _Whatever.__

He began to take a step out,_ but halted as the _crunch_ of leaves underfoot caused him to freeze. Behind him, he could hear Inuyasha mumble something in his sleep. _Dammit!_ Tobias thought furiously. _If I try to walk out that way, Inuyasha will hear me, wake up, and give me a beating I wouldn't soon forget for intruding on him and Kagome._ Looking around, he observed with a sinking feeling that it was pretty much solid bushes and trees, all with dry leaves, surrounding the clearing._

_Figures the leaves would be dead...there hasn't been any rain for a long time. The last major weather was the General's blizzard, and hell if that didn't kill the trees instead of watering them._ He held his head in his hands. _Okay, Tobias, just stay calm. You're trapped in the clearing from hell with an extremely protective dog demon and his unclothed mate. Gotta think of a plan. He paced about. __I'm on a bit of a timer here...they could wake up at any minute._

_I could just wake them up like they are now...but Inuyasha would give me the aforementioned beating._ He resumed his pacing._ Hey...I could cover them with their clothes!_ Shielding his gaze from them with his hand, Tobias walked into the clearing. A quick look around informed him that their clothes were nowhere in the vicinity.

_Okay...if I were clothes torn off in preparation for a frenzied bout of mating, where would I be?_ Tobias looked around as best he could while still managing not to look at the two lovers. Nothing. Then a glimpse of red caught his eye. He looked up.

Inuyasha's fire-rat kimono hung in the topmost branches of a tall tree. _Well, shit._ Tobias silently flung his arms into the air in exasperation. _How in the hell did that get up there? An image flashed into his mind, of Inuyasha frantically flinging off his kimono, and it landing in the tree._

_Okay. Didn't need to think about that. But now to the problem at hand..._ Tobias stroked his chin thoughtfully. _I could probably jump up there, but I **am** wearing full-plate armor. The noise I'd make during the landing would most likely wake up Inuyasha...and that wouldn't end well at all. Screw that idea._

Tobias heard a mumbling sound, and he quickly turned in Inuyasha's direction. Cursing himself silently, he turned back just as quickly in the other direction. Inuyasha had just apparently turned over in his sleep. There wasn't a danger...yet.

_There will be soon, though. I gotta act fast._ Thoughts raced through Tobias's head. _All right. What about Kagome's clothes? Wasn't she wearing that odd set of robes? Looking about, though, failed to reveal them. Tobias paced around the whole clearing. __Dammit! Where could they- He almost groaned aloud at what he now saw._

The tattered fragments of what used to be Kagome's clothes decorated the bushes and trees. _Oh...great job, Inuyasha. A little overenthusiastic, are we?_ Tobias shook his head._ Well, who could question the motives of a crazed half-demon in the throes of mating? He was about to move away when a sparkle caught his eye. Kneeling down to have a look, he saw one of the Shikon shards gleaming in the sunlight._

_Whoa! The **shards? Kagome must have brought them with her...goddammit, Inuyasha, did you **have** to shred her clothes? I'll be lucky to find them all...**_ He was rather lucky, in fact; he found a still-intact pocket of her robes with the shards in them. After a quick check to see if he had missed anything, Tobias pocketed the shards. He looked back quickly to see Inuyasha's eyes flutter. The hanyou started to move.

_SHIT!!! I'm out of time! What do I do? Think, think, think..._ Tobias thought so hard, his head hurt. He whirled around this way and that, to see if there was a way of leaving the clearing without really rousing Inuyasha. As he did, his cape billowed into his face.

_Stupid piece of – MY CAPE!_ Tobias fumbled with the neck clasp, finally managing to get it off without destroying it, and flung it over the two lovers – just as Inuyasha awoke.

Inuyasha awoke. (A/N: Imagine that.) His mind was in a haze. Everything seemed to be blurry and indistinct, except for Kagome's warm body pressed against his. She still seemed to be asleep.

He registered the presence of some sort of material covering him and Kagome. Didn't much matter. Looking around, Inuyasha saw that they were in a clearing. The sun had just about risen.

He could feel Kagome stirring beside him and knew that she would wake up soon. His lips curved upward in a slow smile as he remembered their previous *ahem* activities. He hugged her closer to him, savoring the feel of her skin against his, rubbing against her lightly.

Kagome's eyes blinked and she squirmed a little. A breath of a moan escaped her lips. Inuyasha's smile grew broader. He took his hand and traced it around her face with his fingers. Her breath tickled his face.

Inuyasha drew his hand down her body with a feather-light touch; over her breast, down her stomach, to her inner thigh. His fingers started to creep slowly upwards.

Unfortunately for him, Kagome chose that moment to awaken. The feel of his hand on her like that had finally broken her sleeping state. She reached down between them and gently took his hand in hers.

"Inuyasha..." she murmured. "You could have at least waited for me to wake up." She smiled at him as he captured her lips in a kiss. She led his hand back up before finally unclasping it.

"Mate," he whispered. "Kagome...why did you stop me?"

"Honestly?" She giggled a little. "I'm kind of sore...down there." Inuyasha's smile increased just a hair. He was obviously proud of his *ahem* accomplishments.

She pretend-hit him. "Stop smiling! It's your fault. I don't even think I'll be able to walk today."

"Who says you're gonna be doing any walking?" Inuyasha whispered in her ear. Kagome's heartbeat quickened just a bit as Inuyasha's questing hand slipped down between them again.

Inuyasha's fingers dipped into her belly button, making her pant and giggle at the same time. He covered her lips with his in an intense kiss, thrusting his tongue into her mouth as his hand crept downwards. Right before he reached his goal, he stopped, tracing lazy circles around with his thumb.

Kagome almost whined in disappointment at his delaying of her gratification. Her pain had temporarily fled her mind. But Inuyasha held back still.

"Kagome..." he began. "I was just thinking."

"A-about what?" Kagome whimpered.

"About how I love you so much that I would give my life to save you in a second. About how we'll always be together, to the end of our days. About..." He looked deeply into her eyes. "About how, when I'm with you, everything else seems to just...disappear." Kagome's eyes glossed over. "I love you, Kagome. And I always will. Forever."

"Oh, Inuyasha..." she murmured. "Words can't even tell how much I love you." She was crying now, with tears of pure joy. She hugged him to her tightly, trying to forget all the horrible things around them, trying to just lose herself in the moment with the man she loved. With the beautiful hanyou she loved so much. Kagome kissed him again.

But, slowly, Inuyasha became aware of something. There was someone else in this clearing...he could smell them. The fog in his brain stopped him from realizing exactly who it was, but all he had to do was look.

He reluctantly broke his kiss with Kagome to look around. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. Tobias was lying in the clearing, face up. His cape was gone.

"You!" Inuyasha said. Tobias did not acknowledge. "How long have you been here?"

"That was a beautiful speech, Inuyasha," he said, in a weary voice. "If it were any sweeter, you could put it in your coffee."

Inuyasha, quite annoyed, sat up. He noticed for really the first time that Tobias's cape was covering both of them. "Is this your cape? Why is it here?"

"Well, when I got stuck in this clearing and you two as naked as the day you were born, not to mention your clothes were every which way, that was the only way I had to cover you. Think. What would you have done if I were here and you weren't covered up?" Inuyasha had to agree that he would have beaten Tobias to within an inch of his life.

"Anyway...where ARE our clothes?"

"Well, your kimono is up in that tree, and the bits and pieces of Kagome's robes are decorating the bushes," said Tobias dryly. "A little much, don't you think?" Kagome blushed a little bit, but then sat up in shock.

"The shards! They were in a pocket of my robes!"

"Don't get your tail in a knot, Kagome. I have the shards right here." Tobias pointed to one of his pockets. "I'm fairly sure that all of them are here..."

Kagome leaped to her feet, then immediately realized that she wasn't wearing anything. She dived back under the cape and tried to think.

"All the shards...that means I can-" She was interrupted from her thoughts. The small yellow ball of energy Kaede had sent had finally found her and slipped into her head. She could hear Kaede's voice...

"_Kagome, when ye hear this, I will already have passed on. But do not grieve for me, for I watch over ye still. This is of grave importance, which ye must hear. The General's last thoughts as ye escaped._" Then the General's voice filled her head, which startled her, but she knew he was nowhere near.

"_This is very bad._ _I have been using the shards to locate Kagome, and to teleport...without the shards, I have no way of finding Kagome, Inuyasha...or the boy._"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome said, fairly loudly as it were. Inuyasha was looking at her with question marks in his eyes. "That was Kaede...it's hard to explain...she helped me escape. Let me tell you..." And for the next several minutes, she told Inuyasha (and Tobias) all about her incarceration and subsequent escape. Inuyasha stiffened a little when he heard Kikyo mentioned, but said nothing.

"And Kaede just told me the General's last thoughts...he was using the shards to find me. Since I'm the guardian of the jewel, I guess he could locate me with the shards. He was also using them to teleport around. But now that we have the shards, he can't do either one."

"So he can't find us..." said Tobias in a voice filled with awe. "We're across the country from him and he can't find us. This is..."

"Incredible," finished Inuyasha. "So we're finally safe...for the moment."

"Yeah...I guess so," said Kagome.

"Oy! You two!" came Miroku's voice. Miroku, Sango, and Shippo's heads were poking out into the clearing from the foliage. "Glad to see each other, I take it?"

"Ahh, shut up, monk," growled Inuyasha.

"Umm...Inuyasha? What am I going to do about clothes?" Kagome said. Inuyasha scratched his head.

"Don't you have more clothes in that huge backpack?"

"Oh! Um, yeah! Hey, Sango!" Kagome shouted. "Get me my pack, would you please?"

After they were finally both dressed (everyone was much entertained when Tobias tried to leap up to Inuyasha's kimono and smacked his head on a tree branch, ending up with a nest in his hair), they all sat around a campfire and had breakfast.

"So, Kagome," said Tobias. "Since now you have all the shards, why not try putting them together? You know...make a wish and all that?" Kagome put down her bowl of ramen.

"You're right. Give me the shards, please." Tobias obligingly handed them over, including the one he had on his person. Kagome held them in her hand. She closed her eyes and concentrated fiercely. Everyone leaned over. They began to glow...

"Umm..." she said. "I just realized...I don't know how!" Everyone facefaulted.

"Well...couldn't you at least give it a try?" said Inuyasha weakly.

"I am!" She tried again. _Feel the aura of the shards...feel their power flowing...now...bring them all together!_ Kagome opened her eyes to find herself still holding the shards.

"This just isn't working. I can't do it," said Kagome, upset. Inuyasha put his arm around her shoulder.

"You know...just out of curiosity, what would you have wished for if you had the jewel?" said Tobias.

Nobody spoke. Inuyasha was about to say something, but then closed his mouth.

"Well?" No response. "You really don't know??" said Tobias incredulously.

"I was going to use it to become full demon...but that was a while ago. I don't want to become that bloodthirsty monster," said Inuyasha.

"Maybe we should just leave it in shards," said Kagome. Everyone stared at her. "We haven't decided what wish to make...and if we do have the whole jewel and the General steals it and makes his wish, we're all in a lot of trouble. Tobias," she said suddenly, "what _would_ the General wish for if he had it?"

"I'm...not too sure," said Tobias uncertainly. "I mean...he might wish for more power, but he seems pretty secure in his own abilities. I honestly don't know what he would wish for."

"I have an idea," said Inuyasha slowly. "Why don't you take the shards back to your time? That would stop the General from being able to get them!"

"That's a really good idea, Inuyasha," said Miroku. "We should set out for the well at once."

"Only problem with that idea, that I can see..." said Tobias, "Where's the well? Where, precisely, are we?" Nobody said anything. They had been wandering every which way, and none of them had any clue where they were.

"Well, we'll just look for it, then," said Kagome, not unhopefully. "Ask some villagers or something. I'm sure we'll be able to find it in just a little while."

They finished breakfast and set off. After roughly determining which way was north (moss grows on the north side of the tree as they say), they traveled along. Not at their previous speed, but at a more leisurely pace. The terrible weight and the fear that the General could at any second appear had been lifted. They were talking, laughing, joking, as they had not in months.

They encountered a village on the way, and as it was night already, they decided to stay there and actually sleep in a bed for once. With Miroku 'persuading' the innkeeper into giving them the finest room in town, they decided to take a tour. Kagome wanted to look at the merchandise in the shops.

Tobias was more interested in the bar. Inuyasha was more than willing to come along, and Miroku decided to come with them also. Upon walking through the door, they were stunned to see a familiar face, already drunk.

"Heyyyy, I know you guysh!" hiccupped Tybalt. "Come on in, we'll have a few drinksh..."

"Umm..." said Tobias uncertainly. "Aren't you always trying to kill me?"

"Maaaaybe..." giggled Tybalt. "But I'm off work now. I'm just relakshing and lounging around now. C'mon! Join me! Have a sake! Live a little!" He downed another drink and turned to the bartender. "A round of drinksh for my worsht enemiesh, over there." The bartender followed his wobbling finger over to Inuyasha, Tobias, and Miroku. He shrugged and set out three glasses. The three of them shrugged and went to have a drink.

"I'll kill ya later, Toby," said Tybalt. "But for now I'll jusht have a drink...or a dozen, and just re_laaaksh_." Tobias downed his sake and immediately felt better for it.

Three hours later, all four of them were rip-roaring drunk. Tybalt went up to Tobias and put his arm around his shoulder.

"Remember...remember that one time when I dropped a building on you?" laughed Tybalt.

"And then..." chortled Tobias. "And then...I shtood up, and I shaid, 'That bashtard!'" The two exploded into raucous laughter and high-fived, before downing another drink each. Inuyasha and Miroku were roaring with laughter over a joke between them that neither of them could remember.

Kagome had found some pretty dresses that would do nicely in the absence of her clothes. After all, she had lost one set to the crazed demon in the General's lair and another to Inuyasha...she was running low. Remembering that Tobias said he was going to the bar, she went over and through the door.

She nearly dropped her packages. There was Tobias, boozing it up with...was that _Tybalt?!_

"Tobias!" she yelled. Miroku was asleep. Tobias dropped his drink, startled. Tybalt just flashed her what he thought was a winning smile, but was actually somewhere in the nature of a grimace.

"_What_ are you _doing_ with _him?_" Kagome hissed, walking over and yanking Tobias up by the ear. Tobias cringed and pulled away.

"I don't shee what th' problem ish, Kagome," he said, swaying on the spot. "Me and Tybalt here...we're jus' havin' a little fun."

Kagome forced herself to calm down. "Fun? This guy tried to kill you I don't know how many times and-"

"Yeah, but thass on'y when he's working, Kagome. Now, he's jus' a fun guy," said Inuyasha, lurching over and throwing his arm over Kagome's shoulder. "Wan' a drink? It'll put a shong in your heart!"

"No, Inuyasha, I don't want a drink. We need to go. Miroku, too," Kagome said, glancing in his direction. He had fallen off his stool.

It took some doing, but Kagome eventually managed to get Inuyasha (carrying Miroku) out the door, followed by Tobias. After a lot of careful maneuvering through the streets, they got back to the hotel. After depositing Miroku and Tobias in their beds, Inuyasha turned to Kagome.

"Inuyasha, you're drunk. I can't do anything with you now," said Kagome shrilly before Inuyasha even got in a word in edgewise. "Get in your bed and go to sleep. I'll be with you in the morning."

"But, Kagome..." There was a pleading note in Inuyasha's voice. "I need you..."

"All right. But nothing serious." She got undressed and lay in bed with Inuyasha. He embraced her warmly and closed his eyes.

"G'night, Kagome. I love you."

"Good night, Inuyasha," Kagome whispered, before they both dropped off to sleep.

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Well. Finally, no cliffhanger AND no depression. I've really shaped up recently. And the next chapter won't take NEARLY as long to put out! I already have an idea...REVIEW!


	49. Impassable, Impossible

Hi. I know, another tremendous wait for a chapter. This time, I can't blame the holidays...it was all me. I truly am sorry, and will REALLY work to get chapters out in a more timely fashion. I know how frustrating it is when an author takes forever to update, and I will work towards finding more time in which to write.

...

Anyway, back into my lighthearted mood. YAHOOEY! The game _Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga_ is a fantastic game for the GBA that everyone should own or at least play. And more plot twists abound in this chapter, including another showcasing of everyone's (at least, all the fangirls') favorite demon!

I changed my email address. garythunder@yahoo.com was a sack of crap and wouldn't receive any mail except, oddly, bulk (read: spam) mail. So now it's the sleek and efficient garythunder@moreaufamily.us! Where I can actually receive emails from! If you have a comment, or a specific question? Drop me an email!

Apparently there was a bit of confusion when I mentioned the second story. Let me clarify. I'm going to write a second story...AFTER I finish this one. The problems of updating timely with this story are insignificant compared to updating TWO stories timely. I'd never be able to do it.

It won't be a sequel, and indeed, it won't even have Tobias in it. He's kind of a one-trick character, to be frank. And the ending of this story does not lend itself to a sequel. If I ever get around to it (which I almost certainly will, don't get TOO worried) it'll probably be a romantic comedy between Inuyasha and Kagome. I have a romantic subplot in this one, but I feel a stand-alone story would allow me to more fully explore the intricacies of their relationship.

REVIEWS!

Kai19: Inuyasha might be embarrassed, but he doesn't show it easily. But Tobias is a very determined embarrassment sometimes. * Tybalt...who DOES he work for? A mystery in and of itself. I'll reveal it eventually. * The General might be there. Then again, he might not, for reasons that will soon be revealed. * Yeah, this time it wasn't ff.net's fault. It was me. PLEASE FORGIVE ME! *sobs*

Ryguy5387: I actually liked last chapter more than my previous five or six chapters, I think it was better written. I guess I'm just better at writing that kind of stuff.

Silver Warrior: Why doesn't Tobias give Inuyasha his sword? Because Tobias needs to defeat the General himself, to avenge his slain country. Besides, I don't think Tobias's sword and Inuyasha's natural powers stack. * Tybalt might be like that...or it might just be because he was drunk. * Please, no time-travel alternate-person subplots. They are more trouble than they're worth.

Jeanne-chan56: Oooo...kay... I'm not sex-driven (any more than any other guy) and I may just write more lemons in the next story I'm doing.

lunarinuyasha: That's the problem. I had a bit of a writer's block too.

Tsukinoko1: I appreciate your concerns, but what you might not know is that four years have passed from the beginning of the show to the beginning of this story. People have changed. They have nearly all the shards, so maybe Inuyasha's not so manic about finding them. And maybe Inuyasha realized that just bashing Tetsusaiga about was idiocy against a skilled opponent, so he taught himself to fight better. Yeah, I was off about the size of the swords. And Tokyo is a huge place. There's the big-city part, and there's the other places (where Kagome lives). You take a cab from one part to another.

Hino Mitsukiko: I think he pronounces it "Tet-saiga". That's because in Japanese, a lot of the 'u's are silent, like in Sessho**u**maru, Kikyo**u**, and Ko**u**ga. I just leave them out. That's how they spell it in the American version, anyway, which is the only one I've seen. About the drinking scenes? If only you knew...

JUNA: I'm afraid I don't know what "halwrios" means. And about Tetsusaiga vs. the other swords? Only time will tell.

CharMoonshineINU: I've been trying to write lighter recently. Did it work?

hersheykiss1012: I can 100% guarantee I will not forget this story for that one. Because I won't start that one until this one is done. ^_^

draca8u: Skill. Talent. Luck.

nini: Do you really want it to be over? Seriously, now. Think about it.

STORYTIME, AND AWAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY!!1!!!!one!!!shift+one!

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Chapter 49: Impassable, Impossible

Kagome woke up. The sun had just barely risen. Light was streaming through the open window next to her bed. Inuyasha was gone. She sat up and glanced around. He wasn't in the room.

"Sango?" she said questioningly. "Miroku?" Sango walked in. "Where's Inuyasha? And..." she added, looking around again, "where's Tobias?"

The door chose that moment to burst open as Inuyasha appeared, briefly framed by the doorway as he fell forward onto his face.

"Inuyasha?!" Kagome leaped out of bed and ran over to him.

"He's fine, Kagome," came a dolorous voice from the hallway. Kagome glanced up and saw Tobias leaning against the wall, hand clasped to his forehead. "Well, he isn't injured, anyway." He turned a slight shade of green. "Either Tybalt poisoned us or this is the worst hangover I've ever had."

Miroku tottered by, looking quite as bad as the other two. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then turned quite green, clamped his mouth shut, and ran for the door to the outside.

"Why won't the pain stop?" mumbled Inuyasha.

"It's kind of interesting, really," said Tobias, before he joined Inuyasha on the floor. "I can heal a mortal wound in an hour, but I can't get rid of a goddamn hangover to save my life." His voice was slightly muffled by the floorboards.

Kagome sweatdropped as she looked at the two collapsed warriors on the floor. Her eyebrows furrowed as she stood up.

"You brought this upon yourselves," she said, in an annoyed voice, "so you'll just have to live with it." And with that, Kagome stepped right over them to get to the bathhouse.

  
The bathhouse was, thankfully, empty. Kagome sank into the hot water and sighed with pleasure at the feel of it on her skin. She had not had a proper bath in over a week, and she was way overdue. She got out her soap and started to scrub.

Kagome was _still_ sore from her *ahem* exertions with Inuyasha. She hadn't done well walking over, having instead to be carried by Inuyasha. Of course, she thought with a grin, that wasn't so bad in and of itself.

She heard a noise and quickly looked up, but it was just a tree branch brushing against the near window. Kagome settled back into the bath, just soaking up the heat. She had half expected the sound to be Inuyasha coming in with either his complete lack of tact showing...or a toothy grin and open arms.

_I still wonder though...whatever happened to Kikyo? Inuyasha hasn't told me and I'm starting to worry._ Kagome ran over her body with a washcloth absently as she thought. _I'm pretty sure that he didn't do anything with her of his own will, but with Kikyo you never know. She might have put a spell on him or something._

Outside, Inuyasha, Miroku, and Tobias were having slightly less of a good time. Inuyasha in particular had had far more than he could handle; more than enough to kill a normal human. Even his enhanced constitution did nothing to quell the throbbing headache or nausea he felt. He lay on a bed (having been nursemaided there by Sango) between the other two, who were in beds of their own. He turned to Tobias.

"Tobias?" he said weakly. "Is it this bad every time you get this drunk?"

"Yeah," said Tobias. "But you don't get used to it after a while like you do with other pain. Every time," he said, propping himself up on his elbows, "it seems an entirely new hell."

The owner of the hotel walked in. "Are you feeling any better?" she said sympathetically. They all cringed and covered up their ears.

"Not so loud..." murmured Miroku.

"Sorry," she whispered. "Here, my husband and I prepared some herbal tea to help you feel better." She brought in a teapot and three cups and set it down on a table in the middle of the room before quietly slipping out.

Tobias looked at Inuyasha, who looked at Miroku, who looked back at Tobias.

"Okay...which one of us is going to have to get up?" said Tobias.

"Not me," they all chorused. Inuyasha sighed and closed his eyes.

Nearly two hours later, Kagome stirred in the bath. She shook herself. _Did I fall asleep?? How long have I been in here?_ She glanced down at her fingers, which were very wrinkled. _Ugh. Too long. The water's just so warm...it lulls you to sleep._ She got out and dried herself as best she could. Putting on one of the robes that were hanging near the bath's entrance, she walked out and through the corridors.

Nearing the entrance to her room, Kagome noticed something odd. _It's that feeling you get, when you know you're being watched._ Her suspicions were confirmed when Inuyasha leapt down from the shadowed ceiling, grabbed Kagome, and in one bound had her in the bed with him on top of her.

"I feel much better now," he growled softly. Kagome felt the heat between her legs build at the sexy tone in his voice. "And I think you'll be feeling better, in just a few seconds. A lot better." She moaned softly when Inuyasha moved down and captured her lips in an intense kiss.

Inuyasha groaned as his tongue slid into her sweet mouth, relishing her unique flavor. _I'll never get tired of this,_ he thought to himself. He gently cupped her breast in one hand through her robe. Kagome squirmed underneath him; he merely smiled into the kiss. With his other hand, he began to remove her robes.

"Hey, you're feeling better too?" Inuyasha lurched upwards and glared daggers at Tobias, who was standing in the doorway. Tobias noticed Kagome's flushed skin, and Inuyasha's death glare.

"Oh, is this a bad time?"

The people in town were at that moment astonished to see a man, clad in some sort of armor and with a cape; come flying out of one of the windows in the inn, through the air, and landing far away in the forest, out of sight.

Tobias disentangled himself from the briars that he had been thrown into. "Well," he said a bit wearily, "that's another fine mess I've gotten myself into." He trudged back toward the village.

After a late breakfast and some reconciliation with the others, they all finally regrouped and headed out. They had gotten some semblance of directions from the priestess in the village, and now they at least knew where they were going. Tybalt had apparently vanished during the night; nobody in the village could seem to locate him.

They took a faster pace than before, mostly due to Kagome's need to get back home. It turned out that the well was not so far away as they had guessed, and they came upon the village near the well within the day. They entered the clearing with the well.

"Finally," Inuyasha said. He walked toward the well. "You can get back home after all this time. Don't take too long, though. We still need to-" He froze. Kagome came up behind him, peered into the well, and gasped.

The well had been blocked up. The inside was solid ice, so completely filling it that not even a tiny gap remained between the well and the ice. Before anyone could make a move, the air flickered.

Kagome, due to her powers, sensed it before anyone else did. She whirled in that direction and trained her abilities on identifying it. Soon, though, it became obvious.

The General stood in midair in front of them. He was hazy and translucent. With a roar, Inuyasha rushed him, but Tetsusaiga passed right through without leaving a mark.

"First," said the General, "I should like to say that there is no use in attacking me, because I know you will. This is merely a programmed image, I am not actually here. The reason for this is a very curious one, but we will get to that later." Kagome listened, wide-eyed, to the recording of the General.

"I could not have you passing through the well, Kagome. After you so deftly slipped through my fingers once, I took steps to ensure that would not happen again." Tobias's sword began to glow as he shook with anger. "This is, as you can imagine, magical ice. It will not melt or break unless I do so myself. I doubt, boy, that you could conjure enough fire to destroy it. And even if you could, would you? That would be most inadvisable."

_Why?_ thought Kagome. But the General continued. "Even if you were powerful enough to melt it, which you are not, you also lack the precision required. Fire strong enough to melt the ice would also incinerate the well. And we cannot have that, can we?" Tobias's sword lost a bit of its luster, but glowed still. Tobias, fuming, looked away. "Not only would it seal your fate, but also mine. Although I could just wait it out, waiting another five hundred years is something I hope to avoid; which is the reason I did not simply destroy the well in the first place.

"You are likely wondering why I am not here myself to intercept you." The image of the General began to pace in midair. "Kagome's escape coincided quite nicely with some very pressing business I have, and I could not spare the time to wait for you. At this stage, my presence is constantly required.

"As you might imagine, this business had to do with the Shikon no Tama. However, since the jewel is now beyond my grasp, I have devised an alternative method. The jewel, while still very useful, is no longer necessary. Of course, this does not mean I shall let you have it.

"While I must admit that I did not think you were capable of escaping, I did have some fortune after all. Kagome escaped before she was taught to reunite the shards. With the last capable miko gone, she will be forced to learn by herself. That should buy me enough time to finish my business and catch up with you once more.

The General, somehow, looked directly at Tobias. "You, boy," he said. "I hereby extend to you a challenge. Once I have finished with my business, I will be once again free to battle you. On that day, I challenge you to meet me on the field of battle...and we will, for once and for all, decide which of us is more powerful.

"You will know where to go when the time comes. I am certain of that. This most pressing business of which I speak has to do with you, mainly; and it will ensure your arrival at the specified time and place. And with that, I bid you all farewell." The image winked out.

In the General's sanctum, the witch chanted some arcane verses. She was reading from a scroll that was floating in midair in front of her. As she said each word, it lit up faintly on the scroll. She had just finished the scroll when a small, blue light appeared before her.

"Ah, they reached it," she cackled. She turned around to see the General standing behind her. "General," she said. "They have triggered your programmed image."

"So they have reached the well, then," he said quietly. He looked out the window at the fruits of his progress. It was completely and utterly black.

"Are you certain we can accomplish this without the jewel?" the General said.

"Certainly, Corporal." The witch tittered to herself while the General sighed slightly. "But we need some ingredients for a potion I must make, to renew my strength and vigor. It is really an awesome task...I'll need all the power I can get, in addition to yours. I'll need the powdered horn of a unicorn spirit, first off."

"Here," said the General, reaching over into a cupboard and handing the witch a small bottle filled with powder. The witch looked at him in amazement before continuing. "The shredded skin of a dire wolf born at midnight under the full moon."

"I think there was some in the storage area," said the General simply. "The people who used this castle previously were very well stocked in all manner of magical ingredients and such. Perhaps it was once a school of magic...but I do not know. Go on."

"Three drops of the most powerful poison that any living creature has."

"That may be more difficult," the General murmured. "There is only one creature I know of that has poison more powerful than that we have here. He is an inu-youkai, a full-demon. The brother, actually, of that troublesome Inuyasha. I shall be off at once to get some."

Sesshomaru stood on one of the balconies of his castle. His humiliation at the hand of the 

General had fortunately not been observed by anyone other than himself, so he had been able to keep it quiet. Other than that, it had been business as usual for him.

"Lord Sesshomaru. Once again, I am honored to make your acquaintance." The General walked in behind Sesshomaru, in the room leading out to the balcony. Sesshomaru inwardly flinched, but kept his cool exterior.

"What is it this time?" he said icily.

"I again require something from you, oh Lord of the Western Lands. But this time, it is more tangible than information."

"Tell me then, and I will see what I can do, or indeed, if I will do anything," said Sesshomaru.

"Defiant to the last. But you are very courageous, standing up to one who has cast you down in the past. I respect that, Lord Sesshomaru. I only hope we can conduct our business a bit more...civilly than last time."

"That is still undecided," said Sesshomaru, with a bit of a growl in his voice. "Tell me what you have come for."

"Three drops of the poison that comes from your claws. I require it for a great work of magic I and others are performing. Your participation would be most appreciated."

"Tell me," said Sesshomaru coldly, "Why should I help you when you have spurned me in the past?"

"Because I still hold the power to spurn you yet again. Let me put it in a more meaningful way." The General walked up closer to Sesshomaru. "If you do not give me this poison, I will raze the Western Lands to the ground, and there is nothing you or anyone else can do to stop me."

Sesshomaru's eyes widened, but he still maintained his calm demeanor. "And why would you go to such extremes to procure this poison?"

"Because, right now, those few drops that mean nothing to you mean more to me than the Shikon no Tama itself." Sesshomaru's eyes widened further and he took a step back. "Surprised?" remarked the General. "The jewel was a means to an end. I have found another means to that end, so the jewel has become superfluous. The new means, however, are now as necessary as the jewel was in the past. So if you would..." The General reached into his pocket and brought out a small vial.

Sesshomaru, glaring into the distance, put three drops of his poison in the vial. The General took it back and sealed it, putting it back in his pocket. "Do not worry," the General said lightly. "This magic will not affect you in any way, I give you my word."

"And why would I trust you?" retorted Sesshomaru. "What have you done to prove your integrity?"

"I take that as a personal affront, Lord Sesshomaru," said the General. "I have never broken my word, in living memory."

"It is simply that there are so few trustworthy persons in these times..."

"Rest assured that I am among them. Until we meet again, Lord Sesshomaru." The General vanished into the shadows. Sesshomaru let out a sigh. _At least he has done no harm to me...yet. He will be a very difficult problem to overcome._ Sesshomaru gazed out into the sunset, which framed his lands. _I will have to seek out aid in defeating him._

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No cliffhanger (mostly) but we are all left wondering...WHAT IS THE GENERAL DOING? It will all be revealed in time. REVIEW!


	50. The Ancient Smithy

Hello, all. I've reduced the wait slightly...only eight days! I'll be shaving it down little by little over the next few chapters. I have an alibi this time. I was sick all week with the Martian Death Flu. You know the kind of flu I'm talking about.

The kind where it hurts to breathe, but it hurts to hold your breath, so you have to weigh the merits of each while your lungs are exploding inside of you. The kind where every individual air molecule hurts you as it hits you. The kind where you feel like your skin turned to lead.

Simply put, it sucks. I missed school ALL this week because of it.

Oh, yeah. I finally tried my hand at writing some stuff for Sango and Miroku. Tell me if they're too OOC...I don't know their characters as well as I know Kagome and Inuyasha.

I finally hit 300 pages! And I think I might just reach 400 by the end of the story. If I do...that WILL be an accomplishment, for a first story, no doubt about it. This chapter is just about nine pages long, so it's longer than your average chapter. It introduces some surprising things about a character you THOUGHT you knew well. Oh, but I blather on.

One more thing. Some people have said my characters are OOC, and...well...they are, a little. I haven't seen the whole series, so there are some gaps. BUT! Before I start my next story, I pledge that I will do one of the following:

1. Watch the whole series

2. Read all the manga.

So I will be able to develop the characters more, show more of Sango & Miroku, etc.

ALSO! I have FINALLY figured out just what it was that made the chapters so weird and spacy. I have taken steps to correct this error. So now the chapters are normal again. YAYS!

REVIEWS!

Kai19: The whole Sesshomaru thing will rear up again in a few chapters. But there are other things to focus on in the meanwhile. * Your powers of deduction are...well, I'm not going to say whether you're right or wrong, just yet. You'll figure it out. About Tybalt, that is. * Tobias has some crappy timing, that's all I can say. He used to do it on purpose, but now he's just being dumb. * Will Kai ever shut up so Gary can write? I certainly hope so!

AkuReiX: I didn't really think it WAS a cliffhanger. It wasn't meant to be...

Cloud1900: There's still a few subplots to get out of the way, but we are nearER the end, yes.

Ryguy5387: Well, I figured that after fourteen cliffies in a row, it was time for a break. There will be others, though...

Lunar Inuyasha: Well, I'm not just going to TELL you the answers. Read the story. I think you spelled Sota right, and he DID appear earlier in the story. The chapters are between 7-9 pages long, usually.

hersheykiss1012: I will be waiting for you, when I write the new one. Don't think I'll forget!

master: Well, thank you very much.

Jeanne-chan56: I'm glad to see you still have such sunny spirits, even after finding out that your mother has a brain tumor...There's no use worrying, what good will worrying do? IT WON'T CURE THE CANCER. Out of curiosity...Do you drink a lot of caffeine- and sugar-filled drinks? Or are you just naturally hyper?

Anime-Crusader: The logistics of that are difficult. First, I can't officially publish a book, as that would be making money off of it and that's ILLEGAL. The copyright isn't mine. Second, wouldn't it be easier for you just to read it online, or to print it out yourself? It's already 300 pages long, printing that would be a chore.

Celestra: It's always good to welcome a new reviewer into the fold. I'm glad you liked the story. I like action, I like Inu-Kag romance...I wrote this story. It worked out great.

SSSSTTTTOOOORRRRYYYY!!!!

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Chapter 50: The Ancient Smithy

They had settled in for the night near the well. Kagome was devastated at the fact that she was once again denied seeing her family. Inuyasha had simultaneously tried to comfort her and swore that he would kill the General (A/N: using language so foul it would melt my keyboard to type it.)

It took several hours before Kagome stopped crying, and only in the protection of Inuyasha's embrace did she finally calm down enough to sleep. Inuyasha stayed awake, wary of some new devilry cooked up by the General. Tobias stayed awake, as he always did. Sango and Miroku eventually dozed off, weary from their travel. Shippo had been in Kagome's arms, crying because she was crying, for most of the night; however, when Kagome fell asleep, Shippo was plucked up and tossed away by a very territorial Inuyasha. He set about crying once more but finally went to sleep in Sango's sleeping bag.

Sango arose. It was very early, before the sun had even risen, but this was part of her plan. She glanced over at the others. Inuyasha had been lulled to sleep by Kagome. Tobias was nowhere to be seen. Miroku was asleep. Shippo was asleep next to her in her sleeping bag. _I do like these inventions from Kagome's time,_ she thought, as she carefully extricated herself without waking Shippo.

She softly walked away from the camp. _If I can get in a quick bath before the others wake up, then I should be safe from that pervert monk. I think I have until about sunrise._ Arriving at a stream, she proceeded to bathe. Kirara lounged in a nearby tree, keeping watch for any unwelcome visitors.

Sango took out some of Kagome's soap and began washing. As she lathered, she found herself thinking about her friends. _Kagome seems very upset at this new trouble. I wish I could do something to cheer her up, but I don't know what to do. I mean, what can I do? _She ducked under the surface to rinse. _Inuyasha is taking good care of her. A demon and a miko is a very strange pair, but they seem to be doing fine._

_I wonder where Tobias got off to?_ Sango hummed to herself as she scrubbed. _He looks more cheerful, now that Kagome's back, then he did since before we met the General. And that only leaves..._ She stopped washing, deep in thought. _Miroku..._

_That hentai monk gives me nothing but trouble. He should be ashamed of himself, still groping me after all this! As if there aren't more important things to focus on. ... He is kind of cute, though._

Sango stopped abruptly and scowled. _Where did that come from? Of course he isn't cute. He's a perverted houshi who can't keep his hands off me. How is that cute? _She resumed washing, shivering a little from the coldness of the water. _And yet..._ Her mind began to wander.

She thought back to the last time Miroku had groped her. She had, of course, smacked him with Hiraikotsu and screamed at him. But she couldn't help remembering that it felt...nice. Sango blushed as images sprang into her mind.

Miroku, standing by her and aiding her in battle...Miroku, chained up next to her in Kikyo's cave, giving her support...Miroku, standing over her, checking her for injuries after their battle with Naraku...Miroku, in her arms, as he...wait...that last one wasn't a memory!

Sango turned crimson and hurriedly finished up what she was doing. _It isn't proper to think such things..._ she thought huffily. _That monk doesn't deserve a place in my thoughts!_ Dressing herself once more, she beckoned to Kirara and they walked back toward camp.

Some time had passed; the sun had risen and Sango could see smoke trailing upwards from a cooking fire. As she neared the clearing near the well, she heard a roar of fury that sounded...like Inuyasha.

She had barely a moment to contemplate this, when Tobias tore out from the clearing and rushed past her, with a hurried "Hi, Sango. Bye, Sango!" as he sped away. Sango glanced after him with a quizzical look, then turned back to rejoin the group.

Tobias slowed to a halt, gasping for breath. He wiped his brow, and looked into the distance. He was near a stream.

"I think...I finally...gave him the slip," he panted. "Inuyasha...can be mighty territorial...sometimes." Tobias sat down heavily. "All I did was...say good morning..." He glanced away. "How was I to know...Kagome was in the sleeping bag...with him?"

Having finally regained his breath, Tobias stood back up. "Well, for once, I think I managed to evade Inuyasha's wrath. I have terrible timing sometimes...maybe I should just stay out here until he cools down." He grinned a little. "Of course, knowing Inuyasha, I could be out here for days." He bent down to drink some water from the stream. "This is _deep_. I could drown in here if I'm not careful."

An odd, whistling noise got his attention; it was growing louder and louder, and it was coming from the direction of the camp.

"What's that?" Tobias turned to look.

**BOOM!**

He turned just in time for a large boulder to cream him right in the face.

Back at the camp, Inuyasha was listening intently. He heard a loud BOOM, a sharp SPLASH, and a muffled "AGH!" He smirked.

"Heh, right on target." Kagome, frowning, came up beside him.

"Sit." Inuyasha was slammed into the ground, and Kagome stood over him as she spoke. "That was mean! I know you're upset he interrupted us...again...but that's no reason to throw boulders at him!"

"Feh," said Inuyasha disdainfully. "He deserved it. If he's doing it on purpose again, I'm gonna-"

"I think you really could have hurt him this time, Inuyasha! We'd better go see."

"_I_ think he's fine. That puny rock wouldn't have hurt me, and he's almost as strong as I am," said Inuyasha vainly. "He'll survive."

"Inuyasha," said Kagome, with an edge to her voice. "**I** think we're going to go take a look." At the look on Kagome's face, Inuyasha knew there was no arguing.

"Whatever." Grumpily, Inuyasha set off in the direction he chucked the boulder in, Kagome right behind him.

After a few minutes walk, following Tobias's scent, they came upon the stream. Inuyasha sniffed around, puzzled.

"The scent ends here, at the river..." He looked up at Kagome. "But I don't see Tobias, or the boulder."

"The river must have washed away the scent. Did he get swept up in the current?" suggested Kagome? Before Inuyasha had a change to answer...

**BAM!**

The boulder came flying from the water and nailed Inuyasha spot-on. He went flying, along with the boulder, above the treetops and into the forest. A sputtering wet Tobias emerged from the river.

"And THAT, Inuyasha," he shouted at the falling figure, "is known as PAYBACK! Well then, Kagome. Shall we enjoy a leisurely walk back to camp?" Kagome was looking in the direction where the boulder had fallen with some apprehension.

"Don't you think you could have hurt him with that thing?" she said, tentatively.

"Nah, he's fine. I was just a little stunned when he hit me. And he's almost as strong as I am," said Tobias, trying to look important, despite the fact he was soaked. "He'll survive. Shall we be off?" Kagome shrugged and began walking back.

"After all the times he hit me, I think I'm entitled to a bit of compensation," said Tobias as they walked away. Another roar of anger came from the woods. "Although that doesn't appear to be Inuyasha's viewpoint. See you!" Tobias ran in the opposite direction.

Kagome stared at the retreating figure. _Forget the General. They'll kill each other first._ Sighing, she made her way back to camp.

  
The water for the ramen was boiling by the time Kagome got back. There was no sign of Tobias or Inuyasha. Sango was sitting on a log, apparently lost in thought. Shippo was clinging to Miroku.

"When's breakfast? When's breakfast? When's breakfast? When's breakfast?" he whined repeatedly.

"I'm just getting started, Shippo," said Kagome warmly. She got out the ramen and began cooking. Shippo leaped over to Kagome. Miroku, freed of the kitsune, walked over and sat next to Sango.

"Sango, what's wrong? You appear upset about something."

Sango blinked. "Oh? Nothing. Nothing, monk. I'm fine."

"Is there anything I could help you with?" Sango turned away as she blushed horribly. She knew that he had definitely NOT meant what she was now thinking.

"Just, leave me alone!" she said, uncomfortably. To her disconcert, Miroku moved a little closer.

"Because if there was something I could help you with..." he whispered. "I would be happy to."  Sango's face burned and she trembled just slightly. She was so distracted, she almost didn't notice Miroku's hand slipping down to gently cup her bottom.

This broke her from her reverie in a snap.

"HENTAI!"

**BAM!**

**THUD.**

Miroku lay on the ground, all swirly-eyed. Sango put down Hiraikotsu and sniffed disdainfully in Miroku's direction. "It's what you deserve...stupid perverted monk."

Tobias burst into camp and fell on his face. "I think I threw Inuyasha off my trail. Kagome..." He raised himself up. "You're the only one who can stop Inuyasha from beating me senseless...would you, kindly, do that?"

Kagome nodded and turned away. Inuyasha was just emerging from the foliage with a grumpy look on his face. There was something behind him.

"Look what followed me home," he snarled. With a moo, a three-eyed cow ambled into the clearing, with Toutousai perched on its back.

"Well, hello there, you young'uns!" he croaked. "Long time since I met up with you last."

"Oh, hi, Toutousai!" said Kagome cheerily. "What brings you around here?"

"Oh, just taking a walk." The cow mooed. "Okay, a ride. Can't an old man go around for a spell anymore?"

"Who's he?" said Tobias, moving up next to Kagome.

"His name is Toutousai. He's a very great swordsmith...He made Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga from the fangs of Inuyasha's father."

"Interesting..." About this time, Toutousai caught sight of Tobias.

"Ohhh..." He pointed a quavering finger at the sword on Tobias's side. "That's a mighty fine sword you got there, fella! Mind if I take a look? A professional courtesy..."

"You can see it..." Tobias walked up and held it out. "But I'd rather hang onto it." He held out the blade. Toutousai looked at it with a practiced eye.

"Hmm...not a scratch, nick, or chip anywhere! You've taken good care of this sword, there. Or should I say...it's taken good care of you!" Toutousai laughed and coughed a bit. "Not like that rapscallion over there. Why, when I saw him with that sword for the first time, it was like he used it to cut wood! It was so dented and scratched that-"

"Watch it, old man," said Inuyasha, advancing on Toutousai. "I-"

"Wait a second," interrupted Tobias. "What do you mean, it's taken care of me? How do you know?"

"My dear boy," said Toutousai haughtily, "any sword maker worth his salt should know that THAT is one of the three legendary Swords of Power! It's written all over you. That armor's a dead giveaway."

Tobias took a step back. "Nobody knows about the Three...the legends died out a LONG time ago. How do YOU know about them?"

"Know about them?" Toutousai chuckled again. "I know more about that there sword than you do, sonny. I also know about the General's sword, and your poor departed brother, so many years ago."

"Toutousai? Just how old ARE you?" said Kagome, tentatively. Toutousai smiled.

"Older'n I look, there, Kagome. Why, I was making swords when this here boy wasn't but knee-high to my old cow here!" The cow mooed. "Besides...there's nothing I recognize better'n my own work."

"Wait a fucking SECOND!" Tobias ran up and grabbed Toutousai by the collar. "Are you saying...that YOU...are the forger of the Three?!"

"Well..." Toutousai looked at his cow, then back at Tobias. "I'm not sure. I might remember if I had something to eat."

Everybody except Toutousai facefaulted.

"Is he always like this?" groaned Tobias, all swirly-eyed.

"Yeah," muttered Inuyasha.

After breakfast (Toutousai had eaten about three times as much as everyone else combined, as was his wont), they sat around the fire, discussing swords.

"So, if you're the one who forged the Three Swords...how old does that make you?" said Kagome.

"Well, I'm not too sure, there," harrumphed Toutousai. "See, when I was a young'un, they didn't have calendars like they do today. I'd say...oh...about eleven thousand years old."

"That makes you the oldest person in the entire world!" said Sango, with a touch of awe.

"I have a lot of questions," cut in Tobias. "Like, what are they made of, and why'd you make them?"

"Ah..." Toutousai reclined against a tree. "Now THAT'S a story. See...about ten thousand years ago, or something like that, I found these three elemental spirits. One of fire, one of ice, and one of lightning. Now, they were something to be reckoned with, indeed. I thought that if I could make some swords out of 'em, then those could be the most powerful swords I'd ever make!

"But what would I make 'em out of? They didn't have steel, or even iron back then, and no fangs to forge either. I was stumped. Then one day, my answer came from the skies. Really, it did!

"A meteor came crashing down, just a few miles from my home. I decided to take a look. When I got there, nobody else was around. I guess they were scared off or something. The meteor had bust right open from the impact, and there was this metal inside, like nothing I'd ever seen!

"I gathered up all of it and trucked it back home. Then I set to work. I thought that these three swords would balance each other perfectly, and everything would work out in the end. It always does with this sort of stuff. But was I wrong!

"See, these elemental spirits were a fickle bunch. Unpredictable. They were sometimes really strong, and sometimes they were nothin'. I thought by sealing them up in the swords, I could use their power for good. But, once again, I was wrong. They all had triggers, or ways you could use to activate their power.

"Yours, like you know, it really turns on when you're angry. The General's works when he loses all anger. And the third was when the holder was losing a battle. I thought that would balance everything, they seemed equal in power normally, and I gave them to three champions.

"But they fell to fighting, to see which one was stronger. It eventually came down to a real nice chap named Alarion, against a mean old guy called Druga. Alarion was using that sword you've got there, while Druga was wieldin' the General's sword, the ice one. They fought, but Druga didn't know how to use his sword any more than he," Toutousai pointed at Inuyasha, "did in the beginning. Druga was beaten and Alarion formed a nation. The swords were lost, though.

"I had a hand in that, actually. I realized that they would always lead to fighting, so I hid them away in the most remote spots I could find. I thought that I had taken care of that problem nice and tidy. But then you, and your brother, and the General came along and mucked everything up.

"After Alarion (the country, not the man) vanished, I had a time finding either of you. But you both kept a low profile, that I knew about, and eventually, I guess...I just didn't think it was important."

"Well, it is important." Tobias stood up and advanced on Toutousai. "Old man...Tell me how to defeat the General."

"What?" Toutousai bristled. "It isn't that easy, you know! It isn't like some sort of special technique that instantly defeats him! You have to try!"

"I have tried, goddammit! I've tried for seven thousand years!" Tobias roared.

**BAM!**

Toutousai smashed Tobias on the head with his hammer. "Calm down already, you're making a fuss!" Tobias sank to the floor, rubbing his head. He took a deep breath.

"All right. I'm calm now. But the point is-"

"The point is, the reason the General's stronger than you is that he's figured out how to unlock his sword's true power...and you haven't." Tobias glanced sharply up.

"What? How do I do that?" Toutousai shrugged.

"Couldn't tell you if I wanted to. It's different for each person." He blinked and looked at Inuyasha. "You know, Inuyasha, now that I see the Three are out again, I need to tell you about something."

"What?" Inuyasha muttered.

"Your sword was built with the Three in mind." Everyone looked up. "Yeah, that's right. Your sword was supposed to balance out the other three."

"I thought the Tetsusaiga was made for protecting humans!"

"That too. That was the main purpose. Here's the thing. After the whole story with Alarion, I figured I needed some way to keep those swords in check. But I couldn't do it! I had no materials strong enough to make another sword that was even close to their power. When your father approached me for Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga, I realized I had a golden opportunity."

"What are you getting at, old man?" Inuyasha said.

"The point is, your sword kills demons, but it has another purpose. I knew about the General, and I knew that the Shikon Jewel would lure him in eventually. So I built this sword to defend against the other three."

"So Tetsusaiga is like the Fourth...of the Three?" said Tobias in an awed whisper.

"Yep. I made four legendary swords in my life, not just three. Isn't that crazy?" Toutousai smiled lopsidedly.

"How's it work?" Inuyasha was intrigued now.

"Well, there's a special technique that you can do, that turns the very power of the Three against themselves! It can do a lot of damage if you do it right. And it's called...uh...it's called...what was it called again?"

They all facefaulted again. "Don't tell me you forgot!" roared Inuyasha.

"Umm...I'm sure I'll remember it eventually. Just lemme think for a second." Toutousai scratched his pointy chin. "Well, if I ever remember it, I'll be sure to get back to you."

"Toutousai? There is one thing I've been meaning to ask you..." Tobias lowered his eyes. "If one of the Three is broken, do its pieces still have magic in them?"

"Oh, yes, sonny. You might even be able to reforge the pieces into one or two swords. Though...only I can make it as strong as it once was." Toutousai chuckled.

"The reason I ask..." Tobias reached into his robes and pulled out a small shard of gleaming metal. "When the General and I fought at Alarion, we were blasting each other with everything we had, and to hell with damage to anything else around.

"I missed him with the _Blade of Death_, and instead I hit Marcus's sword. It burst into pieces. I recovered one, but the General knocked me away before I could do anything else. When I woke up from the fight, the rest of the pieces had gone with Alarion. I've kept this around...for old time's sake."

Toutousai looked at the shard studiously, then he looked back up at Tobias.

"Actually, that shard was the very heart of the sword's power. Why, I bet if you found the rest of the pieces, even if they HAD been reforged, and put them together with this one here, they would rejoin into the original form. Then things would be a little more balanced...all three swords back again.

"Oh, and...what'syourname, Tobias, c'mere for a minute. I want to tell you something private." Tobias shrugged but went along with him into the foliage. After a few seconds of talking, they emerged again.

"Well, I have to be getting along now. I have things to do!" He chuckled and coughed. "Saddle up!" Toutousai leaped onto his cow. It mooed as it rose into the air and flew.

"Bye, young'uns!" called Toutousai as he flew away into the distance.

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Did I do well with the Sango/Miroku bit? DID I? Tell me! And, well, did I do well with the rest, too? There's only one way to tell me...(other than stalking me and pinning a note to my forehead, but I don't recommend that)...REVIEW!


	51. A Show of Force

Right. First off, I know it's been a long wait, but I think it'll continue to be that way for a while. There's a definite reason for this, and I am about to tell you.

See, up until recently, my sister had a bunch of friends come over every day around 6:00 and they would talk and talk and talk and watch TV and such. I couldn't stand it, so from around 6:00 to 7:30, every night for just under a year, I was in my room. I often used this time to write.

Unfortunately, my sister moved away a few weeks ago (she's 18) so now I am a bit of a loss to find time where I can just sit and write. So an update time of just over a week should be normal. It will NEVER go over two weeks unless there are DIRE circumstances. This I promise you. Set in stone and inked in blood.

Anyhoo. This chapter is longer than usual, about 9 pages long, actually. Something happens that I don't think you will expect. But, that's why I'm the writer and you're the readers, right?

I always feel like I'm forgetting something...something that I should put here. Oh well. Should I remember, I'll add it. REVIEWS!

Kai19: Tenseiga's role in all this is yet to be revealed, but it will be eventually. * Yeah, Toutousai looks old and desiccated because he IS old and desiccated. * What Toutousai and Tobias talked about is a private matter between them. And how would Tobias go about adding Marcus's shard to his? Even if he could, would he? It's pretty meaningful to him...would he just use it like a Shikon shard? * Heh heh heh. You wonder about the third sword. All I can say is that I've given you all the clues you need, and it will be revealed eventually. IF, perchance, you DO think you figure it out, email me with the answer. If it's correct, I don't want you spoiling it for everyone if they read the reviews page. Okay? Lovely.

master: Toutousai isn't just a man...he's a demon, and a powerful one at that (in some aspects, anyway). I'm impatient too, I know how it feels. Just don't give up.

Ryguy5387: You did? Hmm...that was probably to my yahoo address, wasn't it? That piece of **** doesn't accept incoming messages. If you can still remember what you wrote, send it to me again at my current email address (garythunder@moreaufamily.us). I'm glad you think so, about the sword stuff.

Jeanne-chan56: A bull IS a cow. A bull is a male cow. Therefore, his bull is also a cow. I've been reading the series online, but it's harder to do when you just have the text and no images. Perhaps I'll find the rest someday. Hope your mom gets better!

Juna: Toutousai is a crazy, crazy old man. Perhaps he's senile. We may never know. All we know is he's OLD and a DAMN good swordsmith.

Hino Mitsukiko: I reached your website (you had left out two 'w's in the hyperlink!) and am reading the translations. But like I said before, it's hard without pictures to refer to. And I know about Houshi-sama, but as you've noticed I don't use Japanese in my story. Except for Tetsusaiga, Shikon, and _Kaze no Kizo_.

Deamon Freak 2: The action focuses more on Inu, Tobias, and Kagome in this chapter. But for a good reason!

hersheykiss1012: At least I can still keep you on your toes. That's hard to do after you've figured out my writing style with 50 chapters.

Silver Warrior: Older than dirt, that's Toutousai. It's useful how they never said exactly how old he was in the anime, so I can say he's however old I like. It works out great.

Tomoyo Sakura: Then it's good I got you off to a good start with Inuyasha fanfiction. Read some of the others on this site, a few are excellent! Better than mine, at any rate.

Celestra: I haven't read or seen much anime/manga with Sango in it, so nailing down her personality is a bit tough. * Toutousai's just too much fun to ignore. He's a crazy old man who has a giant hammer and a flying bull. What's not to like? * Too many action scenes bog down a story. Which is really going to rear up and bite me in the ass when I get to the FINAL BATTLE. How am I going to do it?

Lunar Inuyasha: Now I can add that to my resume – Makes people late with stories. It'll be a hit.

draca8u: Thanks, thanks, and tubas rule.

  
STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Chapter 51: A Show Of Force

They watched Toutousai fly off in silence. Kagome glanced at the well but quickly looked away again. It was clear she didn't want to dwell too much on it.

"Well..." said Tobias slowly. "You know now, what we must do."

"Yeah. We need to get moving. We've wasted enough time around here as it is," said Inuyasha, grumpily. He walked over to Kagome and beckoned to the rest of the group. "Well? What are you waiting for?"

"That wasn't what I was talking about, Inuyasha." Tobias drew his sword and approached the well. He leaped onto the rim and pointed his sword down, directly at the ice. "We need to break this ice and get Kagome back home."

"Can you, even?" said Miroku. "The General's power is greater than yours. Can you destroy that seal?"

Tobias looked down. "I can try," he said softly.

"But can you try without harming the well?" Inuyasha jumped up to meet Tobias face to face. "It's bad enough that the well is blocked up, but if you destroyed it..." The look in Inuyasha's eyes told Tobias exactly what would happen. Tobias shivered a little.

"I'm not worried about that. I'm not going to throw fireballs at the well...that's just dumb." Tobias stepped down and walked over to the others. "The one mistake...well, really, the only mistake the General consistently makes is that he underestimates me. I've escaped death several times because he thought my wounds would be fatal or my power too weak to save me. But I pulled through, in the end. Which is why I'm here."

"If the well was opened..." said Kagome, a little anxiously, "We could go back, and hide the shards in the future! The General would never know!"

Tobias shook his head. "There's problems with that, Kagome. First, we'd need to bring back at least one shard to be able to come back to the past, and any shards we have the General will soon take again, when he finds us. Second, if he realizes the shards aren't here and he sees that the well is unblocked, he'll figure it out. He's too smart not to. He'd probably go through the well and take the shards on the other side...and you don't want the General near your family." Kagome shuddered at the thought.

"Why doesn't Kagome just stay on the other side of the well with the shards? Wouldn't that protect her from the General?" said Sango.

"Again, we'd have to leave a shard here for anyone else to get to her," Tobias said. "Besides, if I know the General – and I do – then he'd probably destroy the well just to separate her from us." Tobias fixed Inuyasha with a steady gaze. "Would you be willing to risk being separated from Kagome, for the rest of your life?"

"Fuck that idea," snarled Inuyasha.

"Thought so."

"But wait!" said Kagome. "If the General destroys the well, he doesn't have any way of getting back either."

"He's immortal, Kagome. He doesn't age, like me. He can just wait five hundred years until he reaches the present day." Tobias sighed. "I think that if we DO open the well, we should go through and do whatever we need to do quickly and quietly, and leave immediately after. We don't want the General knowing we've unsealed the well. He might just destroy it next time."

"But still, Tobias..." said Kagome. "Can you even break that ice?"

Tobias turned in Kagome's direction and smiled faintly. "Let's find out," he said softly. He leaped on top of the well and unsheathed his sword, holding it in both hands, as though to plunge it into the ice.

He closed his eyes.

Tobias's sword began to glow. It grew brighter, and brighter. Tobias did not move. His eyes were closed and he was looking up at the sky.

A light wind began to blow through the trees. Tobias's cape fluttered slightly. He began whispering things, so softly that even Inuyasha could barely hear him.

"Sword of Alarion...sword of power...sword of the Three...I need your might...to defeat this mighty magic..._give me strength._" The sword blazed with a sudden fire, and the air around Tobias crackled as it superheated in seconds.

Kagome couldn't take the heat and stumbled backwards into Inuyasha's arms. They both watched Tobias as he gathered his energy.

Tobias's sword glowed so brightly it cast shadows on the rest of the group. He held it like a blazing brand, eyes still closed. His lips moved slowly, mouthing one word over and over until it became audible.

"Strike."

His eyes shot open and he let out a mighty roar. Raising his sword up high, Tobias brought it down with all his strength.

***tink***

The sword's tip stood balanced on the ice. There was no mark.

Everyone facefaulted except for Tobias, who took a deep breath and let it out with a sigh.

"This is going to be harder than I thought," he muttered.

Night had fallen. Tobias was still at the well, trying his damndest to break through, but making no headway. The others were sitting around the fire. Inuyasha was peeved.

"Stupid idiot thinks he can break through," he grumbled. "I swear, I'll give him two more hours and then we're going. He's not strong enough."

Kagome looked up. "You mean...you don't want me to go back?"

"It's not that," said Inuyasha hastily. "It's just...once we beat the General, that ice will be gone and we won't have to waste all this time. Besides..." He looked away.

"What?" Kagome walked over to him. "What is it?"

"It's...it's just that I don't want you to get your hopes up," said Inuyasha quickly. He continued in a softer voice. "I really don't think Tobias is strong enough to break that barrier. And...I don't want you to, you know, really think he can do it."

"But I do," returned Kagome forcefully. "I do think he can do it. I believe in him." She walked away, toward the well. "You should too," she called back as she walked into the dark wood.

"Feh," muttered Inuyasha. He leaped into a high branch of a nearby tree and stretched out. _She's just going to be disappointed when that idiot can't break through the ice. Why does she set herself up for stuff like this?_

Kagome slowly came toward the clearing. Tobias was on the rim of the well, in the same position as he was when they had left some hours before. His sword was glowing very brightly, and it took Kagome's eyes a minute to adjust. There was an aura of intense heat around Tobias, making her stay out of his sight. When her eyes finally adjusted, she nearly gasped at the sight that she saw.

Tobias stood, muscles bulging, veins straining against his skin, his knuckles turning white from the intense grip he held on his sword. Trickles of blood were coming from the corners of his eyes as he fought the General's magic. His eyelids were jammed shut and he let out a feral hiss as he strained.

Kagome watched in wonder. _He's doing all this...he's going through all this...just for me? He's going to kill himself!_ But Tobias showed no signs of slowing down. The brightness of his sword increased again, and Kagome heard a deep thrum emanating from the well.

Softly, very softly, almost too quietly to be heard, there was a small crack.

Then there was another. And another, slightly louder. Kagome looked upon the surface of the ice and found it had a spiderweb of tiny cracks in it. She flicked her eyes back up to Tobias's face and saw his bared teeth grinding against each other.

_He's going to...I don't know...burst a blood vessel or something!_ "Tobias!" Kagome called out, but Tobias did not hear her. Instead, he only began to whisper some words.

"_Big_..._Bang_..." Kagome stuffed her hand into her mouth to keep from screaming at him. _He's going to destroy the well!_ her mind shrieked at her. _DO SOMETHING!_ But it was too late.

"_BLADE!!_" Tobias's eyelids sprang open. His eyes, instead of normal, were pure red, red as Inuyasha's when he was full demon. The tip of his sword burned with a fire so intense Kagome could not look in its direction.

With an audible shatter, the ice filling the well splintered into fragments.

Tobias's sword fell inert. Exhausted, he collapsed forward and fell INTO the well. As he disappeared from sight, Kagome's mind was working overtime to process what she just saw.

_The well...Tobias...home...HOME!_ Kagome wheeled around and tore back towards camp. _Inuyasha! INUYASHA!_

Inuyasha was still sitting in the tree. He could see the light from Tobias's sword casting long shadows over the trees. He gave a "Feh" and turned away. There was no point. He simply wasn't-

_The well...Tobias...home...HOME!_ Inuyasha sat up. He heard Kagome, but she wasn't speaking...what was going on? _Kagome?_ he thought instinctively. Not bothering to ponder the matter much further, he dove from the tree and raced towards the well.

_Kagome?_ echoed in Kagome's head as she ran back to the camp. It was an odd sensation...she had definitely heard him, but she was too far away to hear him talk. This was like...like when she was at the General's sanctum...but there was no time to think about that now.

Miroku and Sango were sitting around, bored. Suddenly, Inuyasha bounded from the tree he was on and bolted for the well. Miroku sat up and Sango looked in his direction. Their eyes met.

"The well," they said together. As Sango grabbed Shippo by the scruff of his neck, the two of them ran for the well.

Inuyasha swooped down and grabbed Kagome from the ground. Kagome shrieked as she suddenly reversed directions at high speed, but she felt calmer being in Inuyasha's arms. The two of them raced towards the well.

They reached the well. Miroku and Sango burst out of the underbrush a few seconds later, out of breath. Kagome wriggled in Inuyasha's grip until she was facing the others.

"We'll be back in a day or two," she said, breathlessly. "Wait for us in the village." And with that, Inuyasha leaped into the well, taking Kagome with him.

Tobias lay at the bottom of the well, not moving.

"Used up a _bit_ too much energy there, old chap," he said to himself. He wriggled a bit. "I don't think I quite have the strength to move." He tried to right himself and failed miserably.

Tobias managed a ragged grin. "But I did it," he whispered. "I broke through. I defeated the General's magic. And I can do it aga-"

He would have likely continued on this course of thought had the combined bulk of Kagome and Inuyasha not landed directly on him, knocking the wind from him and further incapacitating him.

The familiar woozy time-travel effects spun around them as they made the journey forward five hundred years. Inuyasha clung to Kagome, who clung just as fiercely back. Tobias just drifted.

Inuyasha felt hard ground underneath his feet again. The power of the well had again worked its magic. Still holding Kagome, he leaped up, over the rim of the well, and landed nimbly, safely putting Kagome down.

Kagome's eyes widened as she looked at the well-house around her. "My home..." she whispered. Her eyes filled with tears. "I thought I'd never see it again." Suddenly breaking away from Inuyasha, she dashed away, bursting through the flimsy doors and running down the path to her house.

Inuyasha ran behind her, trying to catch up to her and comfort her in this, her moment of need. Vaguely he registered that it was no longer night, but midday. This puzzled him slightly, but there were more important things to be thinking about. Kagome opened the door with shaking hands and ran inside, Inuyasha close behind.

"A little help, maybe?" came a weak voice from the bottom of the well. Nobody heard it.

Kagome's mother was sitting at the table with a cup of tea. She glanced sharply up at the sound of the door opening. When she saw Kagome rush in, she was frozen in her seat with shock. Kagome, crying, ran to her mother and embraced her. Tears filled her mother's eyes as she hugged Kagome back.

"Sota! Grandpa! I'm back!" called out Kagome in a quavery voice. Sota came bowling down the stairs, tripping and landing in a disorganized heap. He immediately sprang up and ran to Kagome, hugging her with her mother.

"What's all this ruckus? Who's back?" came Grandpa's voice from the other room. He came out, clutching a knobbly walking stick. At the sight of Kagome, the stick clattered to the ground, and he crossed the room to hold her with the rest of her family.

Inuyasha peeked his head in around the wall. He saw all of Kagome's family embracing her. His instincts told him that he should go in and hold her too, to comfort her. Unfortunately, before he could make a move, Grandpa spotted him.

He broke away from Kagome with a howl. "You!" he yelled. "You accursed demon! YOU are the one who kept Kagome away from us all this time!"

"What are you on about, old man? I didn't-" began Inuyasha, annoyed.

"You STOLE AWAY my GRANDDAUGHTER! You BASTARD DEMON! YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!" Roiling with rage, Grandpa stormed out of the room and into his room, where he reemerged with a scrap of paper.

"But Grandpa, he didn't do it, it was-" protested Kagome.

"This!" hissed Grandpa with an evil smirk on his face. "This is it! This is the spell that will BANISH YOU forever!" He brandished the paper. It had some arcane symbols written on it, and to Inuyasha, seemed to be glowing very slightly. "When Kagome didn't return through the well, I knew it was you keeping her. I KNEW IT! And I was prepared."

"But father," began Kagome's mother. "You don't understand. Kagome and Inuyasha are-"

"I worked for days, WEEKS at a time, to come up with this." Grandpa advanced on Inuyasha with the spell. Inuyasha seemed just a little nervous about this one. "THIS is the result of centuries of my ancestors giving me their power! This is the ultimate demon-banishing spell! To get rid of you, to rid this house of your defilement, once and for all!" Grandpa lunged.

"DEMON...**BEGONE!!!!**"

With all the force he could muster, the old man slapped the spell on Inuyasha's forehead.

Predictably, it had no effect.

"You know, for all that fanfare, one would think it would actually do something," came a dolorous voice from the hallway. Kagome looked over to see a bedraggled Tobias standing there, weakly, clutching the wall for support.

Grandpa gaped helplessly as Inuyasha tore off the paper, balled it up, and chucked it at him. It bounced off his forehead, and Inuyasha snickered.

Kagome suddenly felt bad about leaving Tobias. _After all, he DID unseal the well, and we just left him there..._ She disentangled herself from her family and went over to Tobias.

"I'm sorry for leaving you," she said quietly. "I never thanked you for opening the well. Are you all right?"

Tobias grinned. "I'll live. I'm already starting to feel better. Remember, I heal fast." While this was going on, Grandpa had retreated into his room again, and emerged with ANOTHER scroll. Kagome turned and got a sour look. She marched over and put herself between Grandpa and Inuyasha.

"Grandpa!" she said loudly. "You don't understand. Inuyasha wasn't keeping me on the other side of the well...the well had been sealed. We couldn't get through it. He wanted me to get back..." Inuyasha came and put his arm around her waist. Grandpa gaped.

"Kagome!" he said, shocked. "You...you...you would allow this...DEMON to touch you in this way?" Kagome smiled knowingly.

"More than just that, Grandpa," she said slyly. "Like this, too." She craned her neck up and captured Inuyasha's lips in an intense kiss. Inuyasha was a little startled, but quickly more than returned the favor.

Grandpa's jaw just about hit the floor at this new revelation. Kagome's mother smiled slightly. Sota made a face.

"Eeew, that's gross! Cut it out!" They did not appear to hear him.

Tobias walked over to them. He was still grinning, and had regained most of his composure.

"You know, in most cases, I would say 'Get a room', but you already HAVE a damn room. So I would suggest-" Without turning away or opening his eyes, Inuyasha shot his fist out and caught Tobias square in the nose. The other man dropped like a sack of hammers.

"Inuyasha!" exclaimed Kagome's mother sharply. She went over to help Tobias up. "Are you all right?" she said, concerned. "Inuyasha, why on earth-"

"No no," said Tobias, slightly muffled because of his nosebleed. "I brought it upon myself. I have a bit of a knack for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Do you have a tissue?" He held his nose to stop it from bleeding too badly.

Inuyasha broke away from Kagome, but leaned his head over and whispered in her ear. "You know, annoying as he is, Tobias is right. You _do_ have a room..." Kagome couldn't control the shiver that went through her at those words. Inuyasha and Kagome set off for the stairs, but Tobias leaped over them and blocked the way.

"Come off it, Inuyasha," he said. "We have a very limited amount of time here. Who knows when the General will start searching for us again? Who's to say that he hasn't put surveillance around the well? We need to get things done. There are more important things than..." He paused, looking at the look on Inuyasha's face, and realizing what he (Tobias) had been about to say. "Ah, shit."

.02 seconds later, Inuyasha was pursuing a fleeing Tobias through the shrine.

"GET BACK HERE AND SAY THAT!"

"I'M NOT STUPID, INUYASHA!" The two of them raced around, eventually heading out of sight. Kagome sighed and turned back to her mother.

"Well, those two won't be back for a while. I think maybe I can-" Kagome's mother interrupted.

"Kagome, who's the General? What's this about spying on the well? What happened while you were gone?!" Kagome sighed deeply. This was going to take a lot of explaining.

It took the better part of two hours for Kagome to fully explain the situation, complete with Tobias's and the General's past, to her mother. She had listened with a steadily more disapproving look the further her story went on, almost exclaiming in dismay when she heard of Kagome's capture. When Kagome had finished, her mother looked at her with a severe expression.

"Kagome, you're not going back there," she said firmly. Kagome was taken aback.

"Mama, you don't understand. The General's strong, but-"

"No buts! It's too dangerous! You could be killed or kidnapped again at any time! Do you know how worried I was, all this time when you were gone? How worried we all were?" Kagome's mother's face softened a little. "I can't lose you, Kagome," she said. "Please, don't go back."

"Mama, I'm an adult now," said Kagome, determined. "I can make my own decisions. If we don't go back, the General will kill everyone in Japan looking for us! Not to mention he might just wait until he can get us here. We have to go back and stop him, before he can cause any more destruction."

"But he's too powerful!" Kagome's mother began to pace. "You said that even Tobias and Inuyasha combined couldn't beat him, so how do you think you're going to stop him? No, I won't have it. You're staying here!"

"And what about Inuyasha?" demanded Kagome. "And Tobias? What are we going to do about them? Inuyasha can't go back to his time without a shard, and I can't complete the jewel if he does!" She blushed a little, but continued to say, more softly, "And besides, I don't want to be separated from Inuyasha. I love him. But he couldn't live in this time." 

Kagome's passion grew again. "And what about Sango, and Miroku, and Shippo, and all the villagers and all the people in the modern times? Are you going to just let them die at the hands of the General? Just to keep me safe? This isn't about me, Mama. This is about the fate of the world. And I am going back, to do my part." With that, Kagome walked out of the room, leaving her mother speechless. She sat down and held her forehead in her hands.

"Kagome..." she murmured. "You have a noble spirit indeed."

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So we enter the modern era and almost immediately get stuck in it again. What foibles will Inuyasha and the others have in modern times for two whole days? We can only guess. Well, YOU can only guess. I already know. And I'll tell you sooner if you REVIEW!!!!


	52. Wacky Hijinks Ensue

Hiya. New chapter time, once again. I haven't written enough fluff lately, I decided, so I'm going the whole hog this time around. (So to speak.) See if it's up to standards.

By the way, I've decided something. After I finish this story, and before I start the next one, I have work to do. That's right, I'm going to go back and rewrite every chapter, making edits as to allow for plot changes, mistakes, and general bad writing (the last being the most important, as the first dozen chapters or so really suck.) So there will be a bit of an interval between the stories. I'll keep you posted, though.

REVIEWS! (I certainly am getting more and more, lately.)

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Kai19: Tobias kind of gets dumped upon. Inuyasha needs some way to vent his anger now that he doesn't constantly take it out on Kagome, so he's found a useful outlet in Tobias. * You wonder, eh? Well, just look below, you should find out soon enough. * Sess might. Tybalt? Now why would he do that? _ _ WHAT? * Even if he could do it (reforge his sword with Marcus's shard), Tobias wouldn't. It means too much to him. Also, I don't know about the specific names of weapons, but a halberd isn't a sword. It's a polearm. (For those who don't know, it's an 8 foot long stick with a 2 foot long blade at the end of it.)

Silver Warrior: It doesn't help that Inuyasha is easily ticked off, does it.

Breshcandra: You and everybody else, it seems.

Ryguy5387: You weren't entirely correct with your sword theory, but I liked it anyway. It would have made sense. * I was mulling over whether or not to do a story about Tobias and the General, but it would be on FictionPress.Net because FF wouldn't archive it. * PLEASE, I beg you, don't start with the alternate-time-theory things. This story is complex enough as it is without me going into where Tobias and the General are during the 15th century.

Chi Master: I like to throw you a curve ball every once in a while. It suits my writing style.

Hino Mitsukiko: All I can say is, I'm glad you don't have my REAL address. Geez...there are pills you can take to calm that homicidal rage of yours. Besides, I've used _Kaze no Kizo_ only three times in the story (once correctly, once incorrectly with a u instead of an o, and once I didn't have the last word because Inuyasha's attack was interrupted). I counted.

slvrstarlight: They may yet get drunk again. It's fun when they're drunk, isn't it? * If there's one thing about Tobias that stands out (other than his sword), it's his determination. * Yeah, for Inuyasha and Kagome, sex is good regardless of the occasion. Even "there's a blizzard outside, we're trapped in this cabin, and we're all going to die" sex.

AkuReiX: If you were to put longer reviews, I'd put longer responses. Makes sense, ne?

Celestra: It's good to know that I can actually accurately write a major character's personality correctly. (-_-^) [That's a sweatdrop, I think.] * Brainstorming for the final battle is an excellent idea, and I have already thought of doing so. Kai is one person I was interested in (because she and I think so similarly) but you could be just as useful. * He just put everything he had into it. Focusing his energy is one way to put it.

JLFEclipse: The thing about Kagome's miscarriage is explained late in the chapter. You'll see. * A cross between Mel Gibson and Daxter? That's not usually a combination you hear much about... * I SAID it would be 10 chapters long. I say a lot of things. * The new story will be started some time after this is done; see my author's notes at the top for why.

Juna: Read the previous response to that question. And it isn't flaming. There's a big difference between a flame and a suggestion, and yours is the latter.

Lunar Inuyasha: Neither can many people, apparently.

mystic: Does he really have a chance to? How can he use the _Kaze no Kizo_ against the General; who is, after all, a human?

Ashley Songer: Glad you think so.

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STORY!

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Chapter 52: Wacky Hijinks Ensue

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Kagome was in her room, reading a novel. She did enjoy her free time nowadays, what with having graduated (just barely) and all. Instead of just work, work, work; then shards, shards, shards; now she could actually take some time to relax. This was one of her favorites.

It was a romance novel, and quite a steamy one (as if Kagome would ever admit that). She had read and reread it over the years, sometimes mentally replacing the characters with Inuyasha and her. Now, of course, she didn't really need to do that; but a good story was a good story.

Kagome squirmed a little in her seat as she felt herself getting aroused. She was getting to her favorite part, and the sensuous words made her blood heat. Her heartbeat increased slightly, and she could feel a flush coming to her face. This was the _good_ part.

She felt a strange tingling feeling coming from the junction of her neck and shoulder. Pushing back her collar, she saw her mating mark was pulsating, very slightly. Kagome ran her fingers over the scar and took in a sharp breath as a quiver ran over her body. Blinking and shaking her head, she resumed reading, still unsure of these new, unfamiliar sensations.

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Inuyasha and Tobias were walking back to Kagome's house. Inuyasha was in a rather good mood, while Tobias was a bit downcast. He was also bleeding.

"You shouldn't have tried to hide from me, Tobias," said Inuyasha cheerfully. "You know I can smell you wherever you are."

"And I took a bath just yesterday," said Tobias dryly. "You only found me because of those stupid woodpeckers. Does my armor _look_ like tree bark?"

"It's because I'M a half-demon, and you're just a lowly human, with your useless ears and noses," smirked Inuyasha.

As they approached the house, Tobias turned to Inuyasha. "So you have such a fabulous sense of smell..." he said. "Tell me who's doing what in that house." Inuyasha gave him a look of contempt, and sniffed at the air a few times.

"Kagome's mother is...cooking something sweet-smelling. Her grandfather is trying to put together a spell with some reeking herbs." Inuyasha paused to turn and smirk at Tobias again. "Kagome is-" Inuyasha stopped, and took another sniff.

He knew that scent. That wonderful aroma that surrounded Kagome whenever she was wet for him...

With a bound, Inuyasha took off; leaped through the air; and, somehow, landed silently on the wall, clinging to it with his claws. He clambered his way over and quietly opened Kagome's window, slipping inside with nary a sound.

Tobias looked at the open window with bemusement. _Of course, now I'm left wondering what it is he smells._ He walked around the house, to the door.

.

_"Charles!" Linda cried. "Oh, Charles, come back to me! Please!" She dashed into his arms and sobbed into his shoulder._

_"Linda," he said lovingly, "You know I'd never leave you. I love you more than life itself." With that, he brought her face down to hers and crushed her lips in a heated kiss._

_Linda moaned as her body tingled in response to the feel of Charles's chiseled body against her own. She gasped as he-_

A light tap on Kagome's shoulder caused her to jump. She leaped out of her seat and tried to spin around to see who was behind her, but strong arms held her still. Hot breath rolled down the back of her neck. "Inuyasha?" she whispered.

"You're wet for me, Kagome," Inuyasha said softly. Kagome's eyes widened. "I can smell it. It's so strong, I could smell it from outside. You want me, Kagome." Kagome shivered in his grip. "And I want you." Unbeknownst to Kagome, Inuyasha, with one of his claws, began to slowly slit her shirt down her back.

"I don't think I've pleasured you enough lately, Kagome," he growled quietly. "Wouldn't you agree?" He slowly maneuvered her shirt off of her, revealing her mating mark. Inuyasha's fingers caressed the mark, and Kagome moaned at the feeling. Inuyasha began to gently massage her mark, and the pleasurable feeling intensified.

"All you have to do is say it, Kagome. Wouldn't you like that?" Inuyasha lightly dragged his claw across the mark, and Kagome shuddered. From her lips came a faint "uh-huh..."

"Glad you think so, mate," Inuyasha murmured. Kagome's breathing slowed when he removed his hand, but she gasped loudly as Inuyasha's hot mouth moved to her mark. Kissing, licking, and sucking on that sensitive flesh, Inuyasha slowly rocked his hips against her.

Kagome moaned at the feelings Inuyasha was evoking. This was still kind of a foreign feeling to her; but it felt so good, she didn't care. All that she knew was that she didn't want him to stop. She began to rock her pelvis back towards him.

Inuyasha, losing patience with her clothing, cut the straps to her bra and watched it fall to the ground...

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Tobias walked into the house, still puzzled. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Kagome's mother, he walked upstairs. Walking right up to Kagome's door, he raised his hand to knock; when he suddenly had the smartest idea he'd had all day.

_Wait..._ Tobias put his ear to the door crack and listened. This is what he heard.

"Uhh...ohh...ohh...oh gods...Inuyasha...ohh...I...Inu...ohh...ahh...ahh...AHH...INUYASHA!!"

Of course, by this time, Tobias was already downstairs and slumped over at the table. Kagome's mother stared at the ceiling with an odd look.

"You heard them, too?" Tobias said, casting a baleful look at the ceiling.

"You don't need Inuyasha's ears to hear them," admitted Kagome's mother. She sat down at the table.

"I'm not against them doing that or anything..." Tobias got up and started to pace. "But we have a limited amount of time. I take it Kagome told you about what's happened?" Kagome's mother nodded grimly. "Right. Then you know we have two days, maximum. I was planning to get some things down at my place, but I don't want to leave them behind, and..." Sota came down the stairs. He was upset.

"It's too loud upstairs. I can't hear my music because of Kagome." He paused for a second. "That's gross. Tell them to stop!"

Grandpa came hobbling out of his study. "That accursed demon is defiling my granddaughter! It must be put to a stop, right away! The dishonor is absolutely intolerable!" He brandished his stick at the ceiling.

"Well, we all have our reasons to get them," began Kagome's mother. She looked at the three of them. "But which of us is going to tell them that?"

Sota: "I'm not going in there while my own SISTER is doing THAT with Inuyasha! That's disgusting!"

Tobias: "I just recovered from the LAST beating Inuyasha gave me. I don't relish the thought of another one."

Grandpa: "It is bad enough that I have to listen to that damned demon and Kagome, but having to go in and look at it to? Never! It's far too disgraceful!"

Kagome's mother sighed. "Fine, then. I'll try to tell them." She walked slowly up the stairs and tentatively approached Kagome's room. She stood outside the door, steeling herself, then quietly knocked.

The sounds instantly ceased. After a few seconds, Kagome's voice floated out.

"Yes?" She sounded breathless. Choosing not to ponder this fact for very long, Kagome's mother responded, "Kagome, dear, when you're...done, we need to talk to you and Inuyasha downstairs."

"Okay...we'll be down _soon_!" Kagome's last word abruptly changed to a high-pitched moan. Kagome's mother slipped down the stairs and back to the table.

"She said she'll be down soon," she said tersely. Tobias shook his head.

"Not knowing Inuyasha, she won't," mumbled Tobias. Sota wandered into the backyard, and Grandpa went back into his study. There plainly wasn't much more to be done, here. "But anyway," Tobias continued in a normal voice, "I have plans. I'm going to-"

A sharp knock at the door made Tobias pause. He rose, but Kagome's mother went ahead of him. "I'll get it," she said over her shoulder. She went to the door and opened it.

Hojo stood on the other side of the door, grinning as usual. Kagome's mother looked a bit flustered, but she said "Oh, hello, Hojo. Come on in, won't you?" (She's polite that way.)

"Hello, Mrs. Higurashi." Hojo walked into the kitchen and paused at Tobias's appearance.

"Umm...what's with the armor and stuff?" Tobias grinned and held out a hand.

"I'm dressed up for a play I'm going to. I'm Tobias, a friend of Kagome's."

"Hojo." Tobias's eyes widened imperceptibly. _Hojo...I know that name. He's Kagome's would-be boyfriend. How do I divert him?_ _More importantly, how do I make sure Inuyasha doesn't rip him apart?_ thought Tobias grimly. "Is Kagome around?"

"Ehh..." Tobias sweatdropped. "She's getting busy – I mean, she's a bit busy right now."

"Oh. I haven't heard from her in a while, now..." Hojo's grin left him to favor a concerned look. "Is she feeling well? Not another disease, I hope?"

"No...she's just been rather preoccupied these past few weeks. Personal business, you see." _How am I going to BS my way out of this? How do I get Hojo to leave without him suspecting something? He's not stupid..._ (A/N: But very, very naïve. That may help.)

"Oh. I was wondering if she was available to...you know...go out tonight."

"Umm...I'm pretty sure she won't be." _Because if he tries, Inuyasha will make cat food out of him._ "Why don't you try again later?"

"Are you sure?" Hojo looked past Tobias to the stairs. "I found this really nice Italian restaurant, and then we could go to a play."

"Well..." Tobias thought frantically. "Kagome's already eaten."

Hojo looked puzzled. "It's only 3:30."

"She's on a diet, nowadays, she doesn't eat that much." Tobias cursed inwardly. _Agh! That sounds so stupid! He's never gonna believe that._

"Makes sense, actually..." Tobias arched an eyebrow. "After the battle Kagome had with Malaysian fever, beri-beri, and smallpox, it's no wonder she wants to choose what she eats carefully." _Did he actually believe all that?_ Tobias thought, incredulously. _Maybe I can convince him after all._

But just as Tobias was about to begin his next brilliant point, a new trouble arose. He could faintly, very faintly hear Kagome's voice.

"Inuyasha...Inuyasha...ahh...ahh...INUYASHA!"

"Inuyasha!" said Tobias sprightly, trying to cover up Kagome's scream.

"Huh?" said Hojo, puzzled.

"Oh, it's...this new manga Kagome found. They just came out with the first issue." _Good one, Tobias._ "Kagome's just wild about Inuyasha. She's obsessed. She just can't keep her hands off of Inuyasha." _Damn, I'm good,_ Tobias inwardly grinned.

"That's neat. Do you know where I can get Inuyasha?"

_Upstairs._ "Not too many places sell it, it's hard to find. I haven't been able to track down a copy myself."

"Well, if I find any more, I'll send them to Kagome. I think she'd appreciate it. If she likes Inuyasha as much as you say..."

_A whole lot more than that._ "Yeah. She just loves Inuyasha."

"I'll remember that," said Hojo brightly. Tobias was nearly agape. _Doesn't this guy take a hint???_ He sighed. _Time to just come out and say it._

"You know, Hojo..." he began. "Kagome talks about you sometimes. From what I've heard, you keep trying to curry her favor by asking her out, bringing her little gifts, stuff like that."

"Yeah..." Hojo's grin faded just a hair. "Does she not want me to? I mean..."

"Well, Hojo, it's like this." Tobias put his arm around Hojo's shoulder (A/N: In a friendly manner! Perverts...) and walked with him to the door, talking as he went. "See, Kagome found someone, not too long ago. She took an immediate liking to him, and he to her. They hit it off really quickly, you see. It was like they were destined to be together."

"Okay..." said Hojo, a little uneasily.

"As of now, they're planning to get married soon." Hojo's grin melted right off his face. "Don't be so downhearted, Hojo. You're a fine young man. You're what, twenty-two?"

"Yes," said Hojo, sounding miserable.

"Just because you can't have Kagome doesn't mean it's the end of the world. Face facts, Hojo. All the girls throw themselves at you until they're piled up at your feet. Kagome may have slipped away, but there's more fish in the sea, if you catch my drift."

They stopped at the door. "Kagome still thinks of you as a friend, and I don't think that'll change," continued Tobias. "But I wouldn't suggest trying to pursue her as a girlfriend... See, her boyfriend's sort of the...jealous type. He might turn violent if you try anything."

"She shouldn't be in a relationship like that!" said Hojo angrily.

"You're not getting my point, here. He'd never hurt her, but he's just very...protective, is the right word." Hojo walked out the door and began to leave. "Hojo!" called Tobias. Hojo turned around and looked back.

"What would you say if I told you that..." Tobias took a deep breath. "Kagome's been faking her various illnesses over the years because it turns out that she's the reincarnated guardian priestess of a magic jewel strong enough to change the world, and she fell into a magic well four years ago that took her 500 years into the past, whereupon she accidentally shattered this jewel and teamed up with a half-demon and a group of human and demon friends to reunite the shards of the jewel, but there was this monstrously evil demon harrying them all the way, until about two months ago, when I joined them, because as you see, this sword of mine has untold magic power that's kept me alive for seven thousand years and THEN, the evil demon was killed by this exceptionally powerful evil human from MY past who took the shards and is now waiting to kill us as soon as we go back through the well?"

Hojo stared at Tobias blankly. "I'd say it sounds like the plot of a very strange anime."

Tobias thought for a second. "You know..." he said slowly. "You're right. But I was just messing with you, there. See you later."

Hojo got into his car and left. Tobias shook his head and walked back inside. _It DOES sound like an anime. Why did this never occur to me before?_ He walked back into the corridor and leaned against the wall, closing his eyes. _I'll rest for a bit. I'm not sure WHEN those two will be done._ Kagome's moans and cries could still faintly be heard.

.

About an hour later, Kagome came down the stairs; supported by Inuyasha, who was grinning from ear to ear. Kagome's face was flushed, and she sat down rather heavily. Tobias looked at her for a second.

"I suppose there's no reason to ask why you're wearing different clothes than before, Kagome," he remarked idly.

"None at all," said Inuyasha forcefully.

"Right, then. Now that you two have had your fun, we need to discuss our plans for the rest of today and tomorrow. Mine are...wait a second. Just out of curiosity, Kagome, did you tell your mother what happened this last month?" Kagome nodded. "Even the part about your miscarriage?"

"Oh...umm, no," said Kagome. She lowered her eyes a little. "She's already upset enough that I'm going back to the past with the General around...if she heard that he killed her unborn grandchild, she'd probably rush at the well with a flamethrower or something. Besides I don't want her to worry that much."

"Fair enough. Like I was saying, my plans are very straightforward." Tobias stood up and began to pace. "First, I'm going to go to my house and get a few more things. Cigarettes, new clothes, and such and such. Then, I'm going to a club and will take full advantage of 20th century technology. Then, I'm going to get mind-shatteringly drunk, pass out, vomit a few times, and wake up back at this house with a pounding headache and a severe case of nausea. That sound all right to you?"

"Yeah, but there's one thing," said Inuyasha. "Every time you go out, you get attacked by a thousand men with guns and stuff. What makes you think you won't be again?"

"Because this time, I'm going in disguise. I will show you once I get back from my house." He paused. "Would you like to come along and see my place?"

"Sure," said Kagome. "It sounds fun."

"Okay. But after that, it's right back through the well again. Back to business. Okay?" Inuyasha grudgingly nodded. "Okay!" said Tobias cheerfully. "Let us be off."

.

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Well, Kagome's feeling chipper now, isn't she? Note: I may have overstepped the boundaries of PG-13, even with the censoring, so if I did then kindly inform me, and I will make the necessary changes. If not, just REVIEW!

.

Also, I've been pondering writing another lemon soon. After next chapter is about when I'd place it, if things go the way I think they will. Tell me your ideas! Vote yes, vote no? It'll again go in that other story of mine. TELL ME!


	53. An Uneventful Journey

Hello, all! This would be the clean variant of this chapter, without the lemony graphicness. It's the same except for a bit less...descriptiveness, on my part.

Sorry I took so bloody long to write this, but there are several reasons for that.

1: It's hard to write lemons! No matter how I try, every few lines I have to stand up and walk around a bit (for some reason), or I just can't continue. But I will soldier on, for it is the will of the fans, and I have a dirty mind.

2: I'm not exactly drawing from a bottomless well of experience, here. Experience provides the core, but much of my imagery is derived from my imagination and the writing techniques of others more skilled than myself. (Tempest would be a good example. Excellent writer, but don't read her stuff unless you're over 17.)

3: I went camping, so that ate up two days right there.

REVIEWS!!

Kai19: I don't think Inuyasha would take any crap from anyone, when he's with Kagome like that. And you have a definite point about Kagome not arguing. ^_^ * Unfortunately, the whole bit with "incognito" will not be revealed until next chapter, owing as it is to my creativity running out. * I don't think it would be in Hojo's best interests to try and challenge Inuyasha's claim on Kagome. * Sota's not THAT bad. And besides, even a major perv doesn't like to think about his own SISTER doing things like THAT.

Silver Warrior: I don't think he'd be willing to give Hojo up to the tender mercies of Inuyasha, you have a point there.

Ryguy5387: I have edited the last chapter to bring it back to PG-13ness. I'm happy that you thought it was amusing, though.

Mitsuki-kun: The way you said it before made it sound like the CORRECT spelling was "Kizo". But I will note this for in the future. * I WILL NEVER PUT ANYTHING OF MINE, NOT ONE WORD, ON THAT ABOMINATION KNOWN AS MEDIAMINER.ORG. (You do NOT want to know why. I'm still furious to this day.)

slvrstarlight: You have a definite point. I've gone back and changed the content. * Don't feel sad. They're anime characters! They can have sex twenty times a day if they want. Us mortals can't compare.

Chi Master: It would help if you were to tell me things about your story, e.g. what it's about, who the characters are, what it's based on, etc.

AkuReiX: Hard fluff is always good, but it was a bit too hard for some people's liking. And I don't want ff.net to get their beady little eyes on that chapter and BALEETE the whole story. * It's not that I don't like your reviews, I'm just saying. Short reviews = short response. Long reviews = long response. But ANY reviews no reviews.

megu-sama: I will.

riversan: It's sheer will that keeps me going now. Also, the desire to have this story told. * If you have a comment, then by all means either review with it or email me with it. All comments are useful.

Ashley Songer: I'm not going to make this lemon a full-chapter epic like Number 39, over there. That was my one great expenditure of energy. Any other lemons in the future of this story will be smaller. Like this one – two pages.

Elventeen: Apparently, others share your viewpoint, which is why I have edited the last chapter for offensive content.

RyoSanada1717: Cut, paste, read...wouldn't it have been easier to just wait until you were ONline to read the thing? * Yeah. The whole "I am not allowed to derive profit from this" clause kicks in here. * There's two versions of the chapter – one with the lemon, and one without.

Juna: I've wondered about that myself. Why not some sweet fruit, like cherries or grapes?

Celestra: Hojo defies logic in and of himself, most of the time. * Like I've said before, I've gone back and changed that chapter to make it less offensive. * Yeah, you could definitely be useful. Kai thinks almost identically to myself. I swear, I haven't just stolen her ideas and incorporated them into the fic. Well, most of them, anyway. * YES, I want this site! It sounds useful.

hersheykiss1012: They WILL get drunk again, make no mistake about THAT. But other stuff will happen first.

STORY!

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Chapter 53: An Uneventful Journey

"Right," said Tobias. "First, I need to make a phone call." He took the portable phone and went upstairs. A few minutes later, he came back downstairs.

"It's all arranged, then. He'll meet us here in half an hour."

"Who will?" asked Kagome.

"My driver. You don't think a guy as fantastically rich as me is ever short of hired help? He's bringing the limo. We might get there faster by running, but that might attract some attention, which I was kind of hoping to avoid."

"Half an hour, huh?" said Inuyasha. A grin began to appear on his face. He shot a glance at Kagome. She blushed and smiled sweetly back.

"Yes, Inuyasha, half an hour. And if you're not ready when he gets here, I'm leaving without you. We've already...ehh, used up enough time, and we can't afford to delay any longer," Tobias said.

But his words fell on deaf ears. Kagome leapt from her seat and ran, giggling, up the stairs. Inuyasha growled softly, giving her a head start before dashing up after her. Tobias sighed and smiled slightly.

A few seconds later, Sota came down the stairs, clutching his GameCube.

"They're up there again..." he said, annoyed. "I can't concentrate with them doing..._that_...right next to me." Tobias glanced at the videogame system Sota held. A grin slowly appeared on his face.

"Say, Sota...do you have Super Smash Bros. Melee?"

"I definitely prefer Young Link, myself," said Tobias as he hammered away at the controller. "I mean, Link is just too slow."

"Both of them are slowpokes next to Pikachu," shot back Sota. With a jolt of Thunder and a well-timed Smash Attack, Tobias's character was sent flying into oblivion. The match ended. Tobias dropped the controller and threw up his hands in despair.

"I don't believe it!" he said incredulously, as Sota howled with joyous laughter. "Best out of fifteen?"

"Oh, come on, Tobias," giggled Sota. "You know you're never gonna beat me."

"I've been around for seven thousand years, and yet I get totally whomped by this...this kid!" Tobias couldn't stop himself from cracking a grin. "That just isn't right!"

"I'll give you one more chance, Tobias," said Sota gleefully. "I'll even be a random character. Who will you be?"

"Definitely Samus. Let's go." The match started and they commenced pounding on each other. "This is for the super-ultra-grand-mega-champion-of-the-world-award!" shouted Sota as he thrashed Tobias's character about.

A horn beeped from outside. Tobias swiftly paused the game and looked through the window. Sure enough, a long limousine was parked outside.

"Hey, Sota, that's my ride. I gotta run...but first I have to get them." Both of them paused and looked, daunted, at the ceiling. Tobias wrinkled his brow.

"Evens," he said.

"Odds," said Sota.

"Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!" Sota had paper, while Tobias had the rock. "I just can't win today..." said Tobias, with a mock-sigh. He went upstairs.

Twelve seconds later, he came flying back DOWN the stairs, missing them completely to crash into a heap at the bottom. He staggered upward only to be clocked in the head (oddly, by a clock) and fall down again.

"Inuyasha! That was mean!" rang Kagome's voice from the top of the stairs.

"He walked in on us again, goddammit! He deserved it!" came Inuyasha's angered growl.

"I'm actually fine..." said Tobias dolorously from the foot of the stairs. He got to his feet again and walked back up. "Inuyasha doesn't really hurt me when he does that. I don't want to be the cause of any trouble."

Inuyasha came down the stairs. "Bozo's caused enough trouble already," he muttered. In short order, all three of them were out by the limo.

"This one is state-of-the-art," Tobias said proudly. "Thirty feet long, cushioned seats made from velvet and goose down, an intercom system between the front and back compartments, and it's completely soundproof."

"Soundproof?" Inuyasha said.

"Soundproof. There's even a little curtain you can draw across this screen. Total privacy, for when you need it. So, I'll just-" Tobias was about to get in, and stopped.

Tobias looked at Inuyasha, who looked at Kagome, who looked at Tobias, who looked back at Kagome, who looked at Inuyasha, who looked back at Kagome, who looked back at Tobias, who looked at the both of them.

"Maybe I'll go up front," Tobias said. "After all, I need to talk to the driver anyway..." He smiled slightly as he opened the door. "Oh, and Inuyasha?" Inuyasha came over. "Try not to stain the fabric. It's very expensive." Inuyasha smirked. Kagome got in, then Inuyasha, then Tobias in the front seat.

Kagome was much impressed with the luxury of the insides as they drove off. It was done in tasteful shades of purple and red, with drinks and snacks littered about in little containers on the sides. There was a radio and an intercom system set up, and a TV.

She was soon distracted from this splendor, however, by Inuyasha pulling her onto his lap and capturing her lips in an intense kiss. Her tongue grazed lightly over his fangs, and he growled appreciatively. Breaking off the kiss momentarily, and waiting for her voice to normalize, Kagome turned on the intercom.

"What's up?" came Tobias's voice, crackling over the channel.

"How long will it be before we get there?" Kagome could hear Tobias speaking briefly with the driver (who had an English accent) before coming back to the mike.

"Jeeves says the traffic is pretty bad...it'll be about an hour. I'm sure you'll find some way to amuse yourselves." Kagome could almost see the ironic grin on Tobias's face as the intercom fell silent.

Inuyasha instantly swooped down and captured Kagome's lips in a heated kiss. He groaned into her mouth as her cool fingers began to gently rub his ears. In retaliation, he dragged his claws lightly over her mating mark, loving how she shuddered at his touch. With his other hand, he snagged her collar with one claw...

Tobias turned to the driver. "What's been happening while I was gone?"

"Nothing particularly important, sir. Some young punks tried to graffiti the building, but we frightened them away. A man came with what he said were taxes..."

Tobias sighed. "Just how many people do I have to bribe to stay out of the government's eye these days?"

Suddenly, "_INUYAAASHAAAA!!!!_" could be heard, even through the soundproof barrier.

Tobias and the driver (they were at a stoplight) both looked back at the opaque barrier; with Tobias, bemusement; with the driver, puzzlement.

"Remind me to increase the soundproofing, Jeeves," said Tobias.

"Yes, sir," said the driver, with just the shadow of a smile on his face. The light turned green and they took off.

Kagome's breathing finally began to slow as the last traces of sensation left her mind. Inuyasha had crawled back up her body and was deeply kissing her. Kagome sighed into his mouth, telling him without words how much she loved him.

"I'm far from finished with you, mate," he lightly growled, breaking off the kiss. "We still have some time left."

(A/N: Alas, my imagination ran dry at this point, and I was unable to come up with a suitable scene to round off the car ride. Even though I tried for three days. But all I produced was garbage. Sorry about that...it's one of the reasons for the delay.)

The limousine pulled to a halt outside a really dumpy-looking place. The outside was crumbling, the door was dented and dirty, and some construction equipment was rusting in a corner of the lot. It was, however, quite large.

Tobias turned around and picked up the intercom. "Hey, you two," he said playfully. "We're here. Saddle up."

About four seconds later, the untransformed length of Tetsusaiga smashed through the barrier, stopping about a millimeter from Tobias's face. _But, they could stand a few more minutes alone,_ thought Tobias.

"Remind me to have that fixed."

"Yes, sir. Will you be staying with them?"

"Nope. I'm going in to refit myself. If they ever decide to come out of there, tell them that I'm in the armory and show them to there." Tobias walked to the building, opened the door (which opened surprisingly easily for how battered it looked) and walked inside.

Fifteen minutes later, an exhausted-looking Kagome and an exhilarated Inuyasha emerged from the passenger compartment. Jeeves acknowledged their presence without so much as a giggle, and showed them in.

"This dump is Tobias's house? I thought he was rich!" Kagome hissed.

"Appearances can be deceiving, milady. Allow me." Jeeves opened the door and Kagome and Inuyasha stepped inside.

The inside was the polar opposite of the dilapidated exterior. Here was the very picture of opulence. A massive marble hall dominated the entrance, fine works of art hanging on the wall. There was a skylight that sent picturesque beams of light scattered about the hall, exotic plants sprinkled every which way, ornate furniture, you name it, it was there.

"The outside is deliberately kept run down, milady," said the nonplussed Jeeves as he showed them in. "Were the exterior to match the interior in elegance, we would receive more than our fair share of guests, as you can imagine. As such, Master Tobias prefers to be left alone. Nobody in their right mind would enter such a worn-down building."

Tobias walked in through a door to their right, and came over.

"I'm getting lost in my own bloody house," he said with a grin. "I've been gone for too long. Jeeves, we're going to the armory." Jeeves nodded and set off, the rest following. Tobias glanced at Inuyasha.

"Umm, Inuyasha?" Inuyasha turned to Tobias. "You might want to wipe your mouth...you've got a little smear, there." Kagome blushed bright red, and Inuyasha's ears flattened back. As Tobias turned away, Inuyasha grabbed the end of his cape, causing him to jerk back.

Tobias turned around and started to ask, but he saw Inuyasha thoroughly cleaning his face with his (Tobias's) cape. When he was done, he let the cape go with a smirk. Tobias sighed and turned back to Jeeves.

"Remind me to have this cape dry-cleaned."

"Yes, sir."

They walked on for a few minutes more, when they took a left turn and ended up in sight of a door, which had an insignia of two crossed pistols on it.

"Hey! Here we are. I wanted to show you something..." Tobias leapt ahead and barged in through the door. His voice came out into the hallway, still.

"Remember that gun I used when Inuyasha and the others had gone crazy, and I was protecting Kagome? Well, I am completely out of ammunition, and besides, I'm getting bored of it. I need a sidearm, you know...I always have to have a backup plan. So I had some new ideas." Inuyasha walked into the door, only to find two gun barrels sticking into his face.

"Ha-ha!" Tobias brandished the shotgun at Inuyasha. "What do you think?" Without saying a word, Inuyasha grabbed the end of the barrels and twisted them upwards. Tobias looked at the ruined gun with bemusement, then chucked it to the side.

"Remind me to get a new shotgun."

"Yes, sir."

"Well, it just isn't easy to decide, you know." Inuyasha and Kagome stepped in to find a similarly ornate hall, but with one main difference. Hundreds, maybe thousands of different sorts of guns hung off the wall, ranging from derringers to rocket launchers.

"I use my sword, but you can't ALWAYS use a sword in some of the jobs I do," said Tobias as he picked up a pistol, examining it. "Like if my target is in a car. What am I going to do, run up and slash their tires? I need distance weapons occasionally." He held up the pistol.

"Now there's a nice piece of work. 9 millimeter. Unlike that .357 magnum beast I carted around before, I think I can actually fire this one without breaking my wrist. And the muzzle velocity is higher, so it actually does about the same amount of damage. Kooky, eh?" Kagome watched with growing apprehension. Tobias wasn't practicing gun safety at all. What if one of them discharged?

"Tobias, don't you think you should be a little more careful?"

"Careful? What for? I'm not pointing at any of you, and I think I'm tough enough to survive one bullet shot." Tobias put back the pistol and grinned. "Now, with one of THESE, I have to be careful." He hefted, from the top rack, a bazooka.

"Portable Merr-Sonn HE dumb-fire missile system," Tobias rattled off. "Easy to use. Almost too easy. Why, all you have to do is press this button and-" His words were lost as a missile erupted from the end of the tube, streaking out and shattering the opposite wall.

As the dust cleared, Tobias carefully replaced the bazooka and gave a wry smile.

"Remind me to have that wall replaced."

"Yes, sir."

"But it looks like our little misfire is not in vain." Tobias peered through the hole in the wall. "That hole leads right to the baths. And don't take me wrong here..." He turned to the other two. "But Kagome, you're looking pretty sweaty, there. I think you could stand to clean yourself off." He turned back around.

"And yes, before you ask, the baths are big enough for two people. So Inuyasha might just get clean, too." Inuyasha grinned. _Maybe this will make up for all those damn times he walked in on us,_ he thought. _He's actually understanding for a change._ "Inuyasha, could I talk to you for a second?"

Inuyasha and Tobias walked off into a corner. "Inuyasha, recently you and Kagome have been...getting busy...at basically any time you have the option. Why is this? I mean, why so much?"

Inuyasha took his time to answer. "It's just that...we're in Kagome's time, now. The General can't get to us, demons can't attack us, the shards are all here...it's safe. I want to make the most of this time that we have together, when we're not in danger."

"You know, Inuyasha, that makes a lot of sense." Tobias clapped Inuyasha on the shoulder. "But when you're through in there, would you be interested in accompanying me to the finest selection of clubs and bars? I can promise you that you will NOT leave sober, if you do it right."

Inuyasha grinned. "Sounds fun. But first, Kagome and I have to take a bath." His grin grew wider as he came over to Kagome. He picked her up bridal-style, causing her to yelp in surprise, and walked through the hole in the wall to the baths.

Tobias looked at them vanishing into the room and grinned. "Those two..."

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Indeed, those two. But there's a method to their madness! Do you care? Likely not, but I needed a reason anyway. If you enjoyed this chapter, why not read the lemon version? If not, you know what to do...REVIEW!


	54. WILL THE REAL CHAPTER 54 PLEASE STAND UP...

A graveyard at midnight. Eerily calm. A low mist rolls over the landscape. Even the stars are afraid to come out, veiled as they are by the black clouds. Only the moon dares show its face, a full moon, at that.

Suddenly, the ground is disturbed. A dozen mice and insects scuttle away, frightened by the vibrations. One of the tombstones falls over from the shaking. A rotting hand plunges out of the ground! Clawing its way out, you see a ragged form, perhaps human once, half-decayed, emerge from the dirt. In a guttural, rasping voice, you hear it say – 

"_I live once more..._"

Okay, so I haven't really been dead, but for all intents and purposes, I have been BURIED. My computer problems are finally over; for behold! A new computer, just for me! Check out all its majesty.

***Doo-do-do!***

Well, I guess you can't really see it from here, but it's far superior to my old one. Which basically means it's mediocre, as my old one was a piece of crap. But hey! I'm on a limited budget.

Due to the angels from heaven that must work at the repair shop, all my data was successfully restored, and intact! My comp was kaput, but my programs and files (and story) were saved to this one! Let's hear a CHEER!

Man...after a slump of precisely one month, I return to you, with an extra long chapter, on the one-year anniversary of my story! Talk about your coincidences. No, I didn't plan it this way, it just worked out. Funny little world, ain't it?

But you don't want to hear me ramble on, you want to read the story! Which you will! As soon as I show you these REVIEWS!!!!!

.

Kai19: Inuyasha, despite all appearances to the contrary, is not completely stupid. He has a method to his madness. * I'm trying to steer him away from the perfect-character image he had in the early part of the story. * I really don't want to be Sota right now, I can tell you that. It's just...nasty.

Lunar Inuyasha: Yes...you know of my plight. I hate writer's block, but until someone invents "creativity juice", there's no way around it.

Silver Warrior: Yep. Inuyasha and Kagome, like that, will do that to you.

Elventeen: It DID seem to overstep the bounds a bit, so I toned it down. There's always my two lemon chapters if you're insatiable like that.

hersheykiss1012: Would now be a bad time to say that I've never been drunk before in my life? Well...once I was a little buzzed, but that really doesn't count. Could it be the power of my IMAGINAAAAATION!!!

Chi Master: I wrote it that way, for the dirty-minded people, and the clean-minded people. Or whatever. * Yeah, this story turned out to be a lot longer than I thought it would.

Lasako: I was wondering where you'd scuttled off to. I thought "Perhaps she lost interest? Perhaps her house burned down? Perhaps she got locked up in a mental hospital?" Phone bill, however mundane, seems to be the answer. * I don't have YIM or AIM, so I'll just scream at you through this. YEEAARGGH!!!! * P.S. Working on it. * P.P.S. Yes. Yes, I do. v_v;;

Celestra: But WHY was it necessary? * About Kai: Which is why whenever we exchange ideas, we do it by email. Keeps the noses of the masses out of it. * I've been there, and let me tell you, it's mighty confusing reading just the words and having no pictures to go by. It leaves me wondering what's actually going on. Half the time I'm not sure.

Megu-Sama: I'm betting on it; if not this story, then the next one.

Ashley Songer: WOOT!

Lasako: Yes I do. MWAHAHAHAHA!

Valdimarian: Regardless of whether she wanted little grandchildren, it's still a bit of a shock to see your 19-year-old daughter in bed with the man you think she loves. Especially when they're not married.

Valdimarian: The Book...the Book... (inside joke)

Valdimarian: I don't know about Baku-Riu-Ha (and that's the fourth way I've seen it spelled) OR Red Tetsusaiga. I need to get more in the know, ne? This is what I get for not reading the whole manga. Meh...it's not here in the States.

Valdimarian: I suffer defiance from no man! (Err, woman. Umm...what ARE you?) Take this, you! **STORY DELAYED ATTACK!**

Valdimarian: Haha! I watch Rurouni Kenshin as well! Your hitokiri will not defeat the skills of Tobias! (That's right, folks, since I own him, when he isn't rampaging about, he's my bodyguard.) You could just EMAIL me the episodes, attaching them one at a time...it's a bit tedious, but if you REALLY want me to be that accurate, you'd take the effort.

Valdimarian: I'm not saying whether you're right or wrong, but next time you get a plot-spoiling revelation like that, KEEP IT TO YOURSELF, ne? I don't want people getting that all in their heads. Or email it to me. * Why SHOULDN'T she be able to heal herself? I don't see why not...

Valdimarian: I spell it the way the TV show spells it. Phonetics schmonetics. Even phonetics isn't spelled the way it sounds! (Delicious irony!) Ah, but you forget, I haven't thought of a good ending yet! If you consume my mind and soul, you'll be stuck without an ending FOREVER!

Valdimarian: English is quite a fucked-up language, you have that right.

Valdimarian: Don't get ahead of yourself, assuming things. That's like your previous "revelation". Is it right? Is it wrong? Either way, DON'T GIVE IT AWAY!

Valdimarian: I try not to think about it and hope it all goes away. * I'll check into that episode, if I can find it. I don't have Kazaa, or any access to later episodes of Inuyasha (I'm at the mercy of Cartoon Network), so I'm in a bit of a spot when it comes to Baku-Riu-Ha and things like that.

Mitsuki-kun (Aw, how sweet! Kun???): I'm gonna get rid of that chappie...in about ten minutes, when I'm done writing all this. Good? Good.

Chi Master: If there's one thing I hate about fanfiction.net (and there are many many things), it's that they change their ideas about spacing every ten freakin' seconds. I have to constantly juggle the spaces to keep up.

omnitoad: Love the reviews (the power of those three symbols is unimaginable...more on that later), but next time, kindly add a little more than that? Like some comments?

DemonSorceress: I PLAN TO!

Ship – er, hersheykiss1012: I will get this story told if I have to go up to each and every one of you and read it to you personally! I'm determined, and nothing, be it computer death or ff.net failure or a meteor crashing into the East Coast, will stop me now!

Kodachi Claws: 1) You underestimate Tybalt. Methinks he will become veeery important soon enough...*evil grin* 2) I'm adding a bit of light-heartedness and sensuality before I plunge back into the dark and depressing world that frankly, they all live in. 3) Not if the powers of the thunder sword are still less than that of the ice sword. And who said anything about the ice SWORD being stronger than the flame SWORD?! They're all the same strength, it's how you use it that counts. 4) Tybalt? He's just some guy. It's those swords that are important.

Kegger007: Your wish is my command. In this drunken haze that our heroes will fall into this chapter, THERE WILL BE SINGING!

Valdimarian: Of course, NOW you take my advice...(j/k)...Update time is NOW! I just hope you'll remember.

Lasako: That's one theory. But I prefer quality over...time. Which explains the wait, but not the crappy chapters. Sigh...I can't have either. *shoots self* Kidding. * Some of my best friends are airheads! * I have _Der Wille Zu Macht_, or, for those who don't speak German or haven't played Xenosaga, The Will To Make. (If I misspelled that, just kill me now.)

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And now, the moment you've all been waiting for...**_SSSSSTTTTTOOOOORRRRRYYYYY!!!!!_**

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Chapter 54: In The Club

Tobias emerged from his room. Jeeves had many items spread out on a long table in front of him. Tobias grinned, sorting through them.

"Cigarettes...check." He pocketed several packs of cigarettes and a small red lighter.

"Money...check." He picked up a small leather pouch. "These are from the right era and country, right, Jeeves?"

"Feudal Japan, sir. I admit I always wondered why you kept around money from every place and time you visited," Jeeves said with a slight smile.

"Actually, I was just collecting them. But hey! I have them when I need them. Convenient, eh?" Jeeves nodded slightly. "So what else is there..." Tobias perused the objects.

"Ammunition for pistol...check." Two black clips of ammunition were deposited into Tobias's pockets.

"Of course, sir."

"Inuyasha and Kagome..." Tobias paused. "Where the hell ARE Inuyasha and Kagome?"

They chose this moment to walk into the room (dressed again). Inuyasha was grinning like a maniac, and Kagome's face was slightly flushed.

"Well. Now that you two have had your fun, and I've selected my hardware..." He brandished a jet black pistol, which he tucked into one of his many pockets. "I'd say we're about ready to go and PARTY. But first..."

Tobias turned to Inuyasha. "Inuyasha, remember when I said I was going to go incognito? That I would disguise myself somehow?"

"Yeah...so?"

"So this affects you too. Come on." Puzzled, Inuyasha shrugged and followed Tobias into another room. Kagome stood in the doorway while Tobias fiddled with a locked box.

"I got this little artifact two thousand years ago, give or take a century," said Tobias. He unlocked the box and pulled out a scroll. "Very useful. Very powerful." Kagome's eyes widened a little. Even without sensing its aura, she could _feel_ the power emanating from it. She walked into the room.

"But what actually IS it?" said Inuyasha.

"I'll show you." Tobias unrolled the scroll and held it in front of him. He closed his eyes. After a few seconds, he released the scroll, and it hung in the air. It started to glow. Small tendrils of light crept from the scroll and flowed onto Tobias. More and more the brightness grew, until even Inuyasha had to shield his eyes from the glare.

When the light faded, Tobias was rolling up the scroll in his hands. But he looked..._different_.

His skin was darker, he was taller than before, his eyes were deep blue instead of black, his clothes were regular street clothes, his hair was spiky black instead of red. His armor was gone, and his sword was nowhere to be seen.

"What...did you just do?" said a very puzzled Inuyasha.

"I magically disguised myself," said Tobias. Even his voice had changed, a rich baritone instead of the mellow timbre it usually was. "This scroll allows the user to look like anything he or she wants. You just visualize what you want to look like, and there you are."

"Where did you get something like that?" asked Kagome.

"The oracle at Delphi, in ancient Greece. Her temple was under siege from some Visigoths, and I turned them back. As a reward, she blessed this scroll with the power of Apollo and gave it to me. She must have realized that I would have trouble going around looking like I did..."

"Wait a second. Where's your sword and armor?" demanded Inuyasha. Tobias smiled.

"It just LOOKS different, Inuyasha..." Tobias reached down to his waist. His hand grabbed something invisible, but as he pulled his hand away, the hilt of his sword became visible. "It's disguised." He resheathed his sword and turned to Inuyasha. "The reason I said this affects you too, is that...well, you could use some disguising, too."

Inuyasha bristled. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"To put it bluntly, Inuyasha, a lot of people are going to notice someone walking around in a fire-rat kimono, with a sword at his side...and dog ears." Tobias glanced upward at his ears. "They kind of make you stand out."

"So...you want me to look like _that_?"

"No. Look like whatever you want. Just try to blend in." Tobias handed Inuyasha the scroll. "Just unroll it and visualize what you want to look like." Inuyasha shrugged and took the scroll.

He mimicked Tobias's actions, holding it in front of him. As before, it started to glow, and the glow spread slowly to him. The light shined brightly, then began to fade. Tobias looked at Inuyasha's new form.

He looked exactly the same as usual, except his ears were human-looking. Tobias facefaulted and Kagome giggled.

"I think the idea is to look at least moderately normal, Inuyasha," said Tobias from the floor.

"What? I look fine. Let's go." Kagome walked over, still giggling.

"I'll just tell you...he's right, you really can't go out like that. First, you should get a normal shirt and pants instead of your kimono..." Kagome began to lecture him on how to look.

After a few more tries, Inuyasha looked normal enough to pass for a human. He was wearing street clothes and Tetsusaiga couldn't be seen. Grumbling about how stupid he looked, Inuyasha came out to join Tobias.

"Goody. Now that we're all ready to go, I have a proposition for you, Kagome."

"What?"

"Care to join us?" Kagome looked puzzled. "Yeah, you'll be coming with us...what I mean to say is, care to join us in our drunken stupor? Ever had a drink before?"

"No..." said Kagome hesitantly. "I wasn't of age. Besides, shouldn't at least one of us stay sober?"

"That's an old wives' tale." Tobias walked out of the armory and beckoned for the other two to come with him. "I tell you, some of the best times I've ever had was when my whole group was drunk. I remember this one bit, about fourteen hundred years ago, I was with a bunch of Vikings, and we had just tapped a couple of barrels of apple brandy." They walked out the door and came next to the car.

"We were so drunk, we couldn't stand up straight." He started to chuckle just from the memory. "Then a group of bandits tried to rob us!" Tobias laughed while Inuyasha stared at him oddly. "Even when they're drop-dead drunk, Vikings are still some of the fiercest warriors you'll ever find. But imagine me, with all my fancy maneuvers, fighting drunk!" He roared with laughter, leaned up against the side of the car.

"Are you sure you're not drunk now?" said Inuyasha skeptically.

"No, just jovial. Shall we?" Jeeves opened the door, and Inuyasha and Kagome climbed in. Jeeves was about to shut the door behind them when Tobias interposed himself.

"Hang on there, Jeeves, I'm going in with them. We're going to...umm...well, you know the clubs around here...I've told you enough of them...just pick out a good one." Jeeves nodded as Tobias climbed into the back with Kagome and Inuyasha.

Inuyasha let out a very, very faint growl as Tobias sat down across from them.

"Oh, come off it, Inuyasha," said Tobias heartily. "You've had plenty of time alone, you two, now it's time for us to actually sit and TALK for once."

"Feh. We've talked enough."

"What about you, Kagome? Interested?"

"What's there to talk about, really?" asked Kagome.

"Well...I've been wanting for a while to regale you with stories from my past. I have had an interesting life, no doubt about that. After the whole bit with Alarion, I went to the Middle East. Of course, they didn't CALL it the Middle East in those days, so..." Tobias kept blathering on about some stupid things about his past. But neither Inuyasha nor Kagome was really listening.

Kagome was listening in the beginning, but that changed abruptly when she felt a warm feeling on the inside of her thigh. She looked down to see Inuyasha's hand slipping under her skirt. Blushing, she looked back up at him to see a glint in his eyes. _Quiet,_ he seemed to be saying. _Not a word._

_How can he think about doing this NOW? In front of Tobias? He'll see us in a second!_ Kagome glanced at Tobias to see him deep in heavy lecture mode, oblivious to all around him except his topic. He didn't even appear to notice them. _What if he sees us? Inuyasha's going a little too – oh...ohhhhh..._

"...and that was how I got the idea to name it 'Mesopotamia'. Didn't catch on for a while, though. The natives and I didn't exactly speak the same language." Tobias blinked and looked at Inuyasha. He did not, however, notice Inuyasha's oddly-placed hand, or the look on Kagome's face. (A/N: Why not? Because he's an unobservant schmuck.)

"Umm...where was I?"

"Something about Mesotuhpamia or something," said Inuyasha drolly.

"Righto. But I don't think you know what that is, so I'll save those stories for another time. What I really want to know is how you got that sword."

"I never told you?"

"If you had, why would I ask you?" said Tobias dryly.

Inuyasha snorted. "It was made by that weird old guy we were talking to, Toutousai."

"The same weird old guy who forged the Three?"

"Yeah, him. It was forged from one of my father's fangs."

"Your father?" Tobias seemed to be getting interested. "You never said anything about your father."

"He was a great and powerful demon lord. He had Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga forged from two of his fangs for me and my idiotic brother."

"Did he now. Planning ahead, that guy." Tobias took out a cigarette and was about to light it, but a swift glare from Inuyasha stopped him. "Maybe later," he offered as he put it back in the box. "One thing I've never understood is why he gave his half-demon son the destructive sword and his full-demon son the healing sword. Funny little world, ain't it."

"Yeah...I guess so," murmured Inuyasha. Let's just say his focus was not on the conversation.

"I think I can beat you this time, Inuyasha," said Tobias suddenly.

Inuyasha looked up. "Beat me? At what?"

"Drinking." Inuyasha's face lit up.

"Are you kidding me? You're just a human. I can handle ten times as much drink as you can and walk it off."

"Don't make me laugh, Inuyasha," said Tobias with a wry smile. "I have personally witnessed you unable to stand after drinking half of what I did."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah!"

Kagome gave a choked groan. Tobias glanced at her, and Inuyasha hurriedly withdrew his hand.

"What's wrong, Kagome?"

"Nothing..." She shook her head, her face flushed. "I just...well, I stubbed my toe on the door."

"Ouch. I don't have that problem..." Tobias indicated his armored boots. "That's why I love wearing greaves. I could kick down a stone wall and barely feel it." _That expression Kagome had..._ he thought as he talked. _Could it be...nah. Inuyasha's not **that** bold._

_I gotta give her credit on this one,_ thought Inuyasha cheerfully. _She stayed quiet right up until the end. Kagome has an iron will sometimes._

"Just one thing, though..." Tobias's brow furrowed. "I'm disguised for a reason. I don't want people knowing who I am. So when we're in the club, don't call me Tobias, okay? Call me...uhh...Alex. Alex is a good name." He glanced out the window. "Ah, and we're here." The car pulled to a halt.

Inuyasha saw a giant neon sign reading _THE HOUSE OF BOOZE_. There was a smaller sign under it that said _Those are not valets. Do NOT leave your car with them._ (A/N: Much props to _Hsu and Chan_ by Norm Scott for this valuable joke.)

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The General turned to the witch. Through the small window cut into the stone wall, all that could be seen was a series of bright, rapidly changing colors. A demon came up and shut the blinds.

"What must I do now, Grizelda? The fifth seal is broken, leaving only two more to go."

"Ah, but the last two are the most difficult, Lieutenant." The witch giggled as she turned to her cauldron, adding a pinch of eye of newt. "It'll be another week at least before the seventh seal can be breached." She turned to him and looked at him with her good eye. "You did a heck of a job, way back then, General, I'm surprised we can even get to it as it is."

"In any case, is there anything that needs to be done? What is the next step in the summoning process?" the General said.

"We wait."

"Wait?" The General arched an eyebrow. "No magic rituals? No blood sacrifices? No contribution of essence? All we do is wait?"

"All we do is wait," cackled the witch. "The ingredients need to stew for at least...eh, I'd say thirty-six hours. Then we can proceed."

"So we have thirty-six hours with nothing to do?" asked the General.

"That's about the size of it. Made any plans?" said the witch. The General turned away. _Perhaps there is something I can do with this time..._ he thought.

.

Having paid the cover charge and bribed the bouncer, Inuyasha, Kagome, and Tobias were in the club. Inuyasha immediately darted over to the area where liquor was being served. He grabbed a cup, but Tobias knocked it from his hand. Inuyasha growled and glared at Tobias.

"What the hell was that for?!"

"You don't start drinking _yet_, Inuyasha," Tobias said plaintively. "First we dance...well, WE don't dance, but you and Kagome dance, and I just do whatever, and enjoy ourselves. THEN we drink. You can't dance when you're drunk...nobody can."

Kagome smiled and led Inuyasha out to the dance floor. It was rather full, and they had to push to get a spot. Tobias meandered over to the deejay's table, handed him some money, and made a brief suggestion on what song to play.

As Tobias made his way through the crowd, the opening beats of the song began to play.

_Shake that thing Miss Kana Kana  
Shake that thing Miss Annabella  
Shake that thing yo Donna Donna  
Jodi and Rebecca_

"Tob – uhh, Alex!" hissed Inuyasha. "I don't know HOW to dance!"

"Oh, it's easy. Just watch everyone else and do what they do." Inuyasha looked at Tobias, who shrugged, then at Kagome, who also shrugged, then shrugged himself and decided to just go with it.

_Woman get busy   
Just shake that booty non-stop  
When the beat drops  
Just keep swingin' it_

Inuyasha looked at some of the other people, who were dancing in that odd way that people dance to Sean Paul's phat beats. He started to imitate them.

_  
Get jiggy  
Get crunked up  
Percolate anything you wan fi call it  
Oscillate you hip and don't take pity_

Kagome was having a lot of fun, her hair flying as she danced suggestively around Inuyasha. Picking up cues from the other dancers, she started also to pick up the pace.

_  
Me want fi see you get live 'pon the riddim when me ride  
And me lyrics a provide electrixity  
Gal nobody can tell you nuttin'  
Can you done know ya destiny_

Kagome started to grin. She had a great idea. Moving around Inuyasha, she "accidentally" brushed up against him. His eyes went wide as he looked in her direction. She smiled coyly in response, then bumped her hips up against his. A feral grin appeared on Inuyasha's face. Kagome took Inuyasha by the hand and led him, grinning, off the dance floor and to a conveniently situated empty room.

_Yo sexy ladies want par with us  
In a the car with us  
Them nah war with us  
In a the club them want flex with us  
To get next to us  
Them nah vex wit' us  
From the day me born jah ignite ma flame gal a call ma name and it is ma Fame  
It's all good girl turn me on  
'Til a early morn'  
Let's get it on  
Let's get it on 'til a early morn'  
Girl it's all good just turn me on_

By the time the song ended, Tobias, breathless from his exertion, scanned the dance floor for Inuyasha and Kagome. _Where are those two?_ he wondered. Shrugging, he started up his motions again as the next song began.

.

After a few songs had passed, Tobias had really started to wonder. He left the dance floor and went looking at the various doors that led to various other rooms in the place. He approached door after door with no luck whatsoever. _Did they leave without me? No...they have no means of transportation._

Coming upon a fairly inconspicuous door, Tobias was startled to hear noises from inside. Flattening against the wall, he edged closer, trying to see what was going on. The voices sounded awfully familiar...

***WHAM***

The door opened fast. Inuyasha stepped out, Kagome right behind him. Both of them grinning like idiots, they went back to the dance floor.

The door swung slowly shut again, to reveal Tobias holding his nose and the back of his head in obvious pain. _They just HAD to make the door out of oak, didn't they. That's what I get for going to a high-class club._

"Alex! What are you doing back there? Come on!" Kagome tugged at Tobias's sleeve. Wincing slightly, Tobias rejoined with them.

"While I wait for the bleeding to slow down, what shall we do next?" said Tobias.

"Now we drink," said Inuyasha emphatically.

"You just can't be diverted, can you, Inuyasha," said Tobias, amused. "Listen, Kagome, do you want to have some? It won't kill you..."

"I don't think I should..." said Kagome hesitantly.

"Kagome." Tobias came up close to Kagome. "The decision is yours to make, but let me just impress something upon you. When we go back to your time, if the General finds us, there's a high chance he'll kill us all. Do you really want to die without getting drunk at least once?"

"Yes."

"Eh, your choice. Inuyasha. You mentioned something about being able to out-drink me?" Tobias swaggered over to the bar, flung down a handful of bills, and grabbed two bottles. "Vodka in one hand, sake in the other...beat THIS!" Raising the two bottles to his mouth, Tobias chugged the liquor while the other people gasped and cheered.

After about half of it was gone, Tobias dropped both bottles and swayed. "Lemme tell you, Inuyasha," he said, his speech already slurring. "My breath...could KILL a man." He hiccupped. "Beat that!" he drawled.

"Gimme that bottle!" Inuyasha grabbed the bottles away from him, and took a few more for good measure...

.

Many drinks later, Inuyasha and Tobias were utterly zombified. Lurching and stumbling around like the undead, they still searched for some sort of liquor to quaff. Kagome watched in utter amazement.

"I'm feelin' creative!" hiccupped Tobias. "Here's a lumerick. Uhh...there wunshe wash a man named In'yasha...and...umm...his name was In'yasha!"

"He tried...and he tried...uhh...and then he died!" laughed Inuyasha.

"An' THA'SSH the shtory of In'yasha!" finished Tobias, to a roar of drunken laughter.

"Sounds kind of morbid, if you ask me," said Kagome, threading her way through the crowd.

"K'gomeeeeee!" sang Inuyasha. "Have a ship. It'll looshen you riiiiiite up."

"I'm fine, Inuyasha. To – uh, Alex, don't you think we should leave? It's getting kind of late..."

"Who'sh Aleksh?" burbled Tobias. "Whatever. Yeah, why not." He pulled out his cellular phone, whereupon the buttons on it immediately enraptured him. Slightly frustrated, Kagome took the phone and searched until she found his number. She had just barely managed to dial it when Tobias grabbed it right back out of her hand.

"You need a _professhional_ touch, K'gome, to deal with ol' Jeevsy. He's reaal stodgy sometimesh." The phone rang and rang. Eventually it was picked up.

"Hello, sir?"

"JEEVSEY! How ya doin', man," said Tobias.

"Very nice, sir. Are you drunk again?"

"Weeeeell, maybe a liddle shnockered, but not _drunk_ like that..." drawled Tobias, immediately before losing his balance and pitching face-first downward.

"What idiot put a floor here?!" he yelled, much to the amusement of Inuyasha.

"Shall I come pick you up?"

"That'd be shwell, Jeevsey." Tobias hung up, and immediately dropped his phone, which shattered into a dozen pieces. "Aw, heck."

"What wazzat allabout?" whispered Inuyasha.

"Umm...we're goin' home. Home..." Tobias's eyes filled with stars. "THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME..." he sang. "Uhh...ummm...THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME..." Failing to remember the second line to the song, he chose instead to repeat the first one over and over again, Inuyasha eventually joining in.

Soon the whole drunken population was droning along to that infernal tune. Kagome, hands clamped over her ears, tried to block it out, but that soon became impossible. Finally, she had had enough. She marched over to Inuyasha.

"SIT!!!"

**WHAM!**

Inuyasha collapsed to the floor, still whimpering a few broken lyrics. Tobias pointed at him and bellowed with laughter. Inuyasha, aggravated, leapt up as soon as the spell allowed (he swayed a bit, but he leapt up).

"Sho, you think that'sh funny, eh?" Inuyasha raised his fists in a ridiculous impression of a boxer.

"Put up your dukesh!" Tobias did the same, and the two staggered around while the drunken crowd cheered. Tobias lunged at Inuyasha, who swayed out of the way by chance, leaving Tobias to fall on his face and slide a few feet. Inuyasha burst into raucous laughter.

"That wash deliberrrate," came Tobias's muffled voice from the floor. "It's the...uhh...Flying Tiger move." The sound of a horn outside made them all jump.

"Ahh, Jeevsy's here!" said Tobias, making an effort to stand and eventually making it to the door. Kagome supported Inuyasha along the way to the car.

Jeeves was waiting outside of the limousine. He was holding a phial of some mysterious liquid, but in the light Kagome could not tell what it was.

"Jeevsey!" said Tobias cheerfully as he approached the limo. Jeeves said nothing, only removing the stopper from the phial and lifting it to Tobias's mouth. A single drop fell in, and Tobias swallowed it, coughing and spluttering.

"Hey, whazzat? What the-" Tobias coughed again, blinked a few times, and stood up straight. His eyes cleared. He did not stagger.

"That stuff is POWERFUL, Jeeves," he said, in his normal voice. "Give a drop to Inuyasha...he needs it."

"What...just...happened?" asked Kagome, thoroughly confused.

"Another relic from Master Tobias's travels, Lady Kagome," said Jeeves as he attempted to get Inuyasha to take a drop. "I'm sure Master Tobias can tell you more about it than I can."

"Well, there was a village of Indians – I guess they're called American Indians, now, that live way over in America...which is kind of given away by the name," said Tobias. Apparently he was still a little woozy. "What happened was, the medicine man was thoroughly put out by the fact that all the young men in the village were overusing what they called the 'dream plant', what we now know as marijuana. Seems nothing was getting done because all the men were always stumbling around, constantly on the stuff. So he came up with this."

Tobias indicated the phial. "It's made from the distillation of something-or-another, I don't remember the exact recipe, but I have it written down in case I need more. One drop of it completely clears the mind of anyone who uses it, of any sort of drug, intoxication, mind-altering effects, et cetera. It takes a minute to fully work, but when it does...well, look at me five minutes ago and look at me now. Useful, huh? I haven't been just sitting around these past centuries..." He got in the back of the limo.

Jeeves had finally succeeded in getting Inuyasha to take a drop of the liquid. Inuyasha raged and growled for a minute, but then he sat up again and demanded to know what was going on.

"A miracle cure, Inuyasha, to get rid of that awful drunkenness of yours. I don't think you'll want that hangover in the morning again...besides, this frees you up for anything else we'd like to do tonight."

"I just wanna go home," said Kagome. "I've had enough excitement for one day."

"My house or yours?" said Tobias, looking out the window as Jeeves drove away.

"His house," Inuyasha said from behind Kagome. "Because, unlike you, I _do_ have something else I want to do tonight." He leaned close in to Kagome's ear. "How's your voice, Kagome? Does your throat hurt at all?"

"Umm...my voice is fine, Inuyasha...why?" Kagome said, puzzled.

"Because you're gonna lose your voice tonight. I'm gonna make you scream my name so much your throat will go numb." Kagome couldn't stop a shiver that ran from the base of her spine all up her body. "I'm going to take you again, and again, and again, in ways you can't even imagine."

"Like what?" Kagome whispered.

Inuyasha snorted. "I've fantasized for years about taking you, mate. Do you think I haven't come up with a few ideas of my own?" His voice dropped even lower. "I'm going to..." The next few words were only for Kagome's ears. "...like you've never been..." Only snatches of the conversation could be heard. (A/N: Because, as I so woefully attempted to demonstrate a few chapters ago, this is still a PG-13 story.)

Inuyasha suddenly bared his teeth and sunk them shallowly into Kagome's mating mark. Her vision went blurry and she couldn't stop the moan that rose from her throat. She could hear him chuckle, and she could _feel_ the vibrations in her sensitive flesh.

"I'm going to just stare out the window and pretend I didn't hear any of that," said Tobias, firmly maintaining his gaze away from them.

"For your sake, I hope so..._Alex_," snarled Inuyasha, pulling his fangs out.

Tobias picked up the intercom and buzzed Jeeves in the front seat. "Lower the barrier, Jeeves...I have a feeling I'm not wanted here."

"I understand, sir," came the response. The soundproof barrier slid down into the wall, and Tobias leaped into the front seat. An amazingly balletic motion considering he had been drunk off his ass ten minutes ago. The barrier slid shut again.

"That's why I want to go to his house, Kagome," purred Inuyasha. "It's bigger and we won't wake your family with your screams and moans." Kagome turned brilliant red and shivered again. "In fact...that thing IS soundproof...why don't you do a little moaning for me now?" His hand reached around to go up her skirt...

.

Some minutes later, the limo pulled to a halt outside of Tobias's house. Tobias came out of the front seat, then glanced at the back door. Nothing happened.

Then Inuyasha came out. Tobias noticed he shut the door before anything inside could be seen. "We need the bedroom that's the biggest and the furthest away from yours," he said, a bit breathlessly.

"Jeeves, show them to the tertiary bedroom, and never speak of this to me again." Tobias wandered into the house. Jeeves lingered, eyeing the door. His expression was unreadable.

"If the gentleman and the lady would care to come out, I will show you both to your room," he said calmly. Inuyasha went back in, and after a few seconds, emerged with Kagome as well. Clinging to each other like Siamese twins, the two lovers followed the ever-impassive Jeeves into the house and to their private room.

.

The next morning, after a light breakfast, a journey back to Kagome's house, and some *ahem* interaction between Inuyasha and Kagome; all the travelers were at the well again. Tobias and Inuyasha had reassumed their old appearances. Kagome held Inuyasha's hand as they neared the edge of the well.

"Get ready, guys...that was the last bit of fun we'll be having in a while," muttered Tobias. Taking a jewel shard from Kagome, he leaped into the well and vanished.

Kagome gave Inuyasha's hand a quick squeeze, and he leaned over and gave her a brief kiss. They jumped in together, passing through the ethereal blue stuff as one.

Emerging from the well, they were puzzled to see Sango and Miroku in quite a passionate embrace on the edge of the clearing. Inuyasha grinned, Tobias blinked, and Kagome turned a bit red.

Sango glanced over at them emerging from the well and screamed like a banshee. Pulling herself away from Miroku, she dealt him a sound blow to the back of the head.

"And don't you take advantage of me like that again, monk!" she yelled at his googly-eyed form.

"How stupid do you think we are?" said Inuyasha as he clambered out.

"We've kind of figured it out, Sango..." giggled Kagome. "I mean, you've been strangely close for the last few months...I thought that this day would eventually come."

"What are you talking about? He just jumped on me and..." Sango's face turned beet red. "and..." She sighed and helped Miroku up. "I suppose there's no keeping it now."

"I had to admit, I was wondering what you were doing while we were gone," said Tobias.

"Well...umm...we've been waiting a long time for you to come back," said Sango, still blushing, trying desperately to change the subject.

A voice called out from the bushes "-

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And what better way to end this chapter than a good old-fashioned CLIFFHANGER??? (_Well, not having one, for instance..._) Shut up, brain, or I'll stab you with a Q-Tip. (Simpsons rock!) In case I haven't lost ALL my fanbase...**_RRRRREEEEEVVVVVIIIIIEEEEEWWWWW!!!!!_**

Note that I just realized, as I'm updating: As I post this chapter, I feel...better somehow. Like a great weight has been lifted off of my chest. I'm happier and more relaxed than I have been in weeks. And this tells me only one thing. This story is killing me. Or, that I'm glad I finally updated. I feel that same uplifting sensation I did the very first time I posted. It reminds me of why I like to write. So expect more, and soon!


	55. Shattered

I am beginning to hate all things computer-related. I'm seriously considering just abandoning uploading my chapters with Word, and instead, transmitting them to the FF.Net offices by telegraph.

My new computer, with much fanfare, broke.

I'm continuing, however, as you can see...a little thing like THAT won't keep me off my toes. See, I had been expecting something like this to happen and saved this chappy to a floppy disk. Archaic, but effective. I rounded it off at the library and am now uploading it. Isn't that just precious?

The help desk guy said it had something to do with the hard drive or the fan or the transmission or SOMETHING, I don't know. But he said it'll be fixed in a few days, so that'll work out rather well. It was still under warranty. He also promised he would give it a look-over, to find any other defects. I trust this guy. He's the one who salvaged my data from my LAST comp.

Oh, and I really nailed you all with that April Fool's Day joke. Some people even took it seriously! Rest assured I'm continuing. I'll try to be a little more timely in the future, though.

One thing also. The last few chapters have been light-hearted and merry, and in some cases, sexy; but there's a reason. As Gandalf said, "It's the great breath, before the plunge." Or something. I need to see the movie again. Great movie.

  
The point is, the next bunch of chapters are gloomy and doomy. Not happy at all. Just trying to warn you. The only bit of consolation I can give you is that...bum bum bum...it ends well. But don't expect any cheeriness for quite a while.

But, you don't particularly care about my computer foibles, so REVIEWS!!

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Kai19: Tobias has no qualms about killing when he needs to, but unlike the General, he doesn't do it needlessly. That's the major difference between them. * Kagome smoking weed?! That's just silly. * Meh. Inuyasha figures that they're not gonna have any fun back in Feudal Japan, so he's getting out all his jollies now. * You'd think the General was a fan of classical music. Maybe he is. Who's to say? Besides me, that is... * They might use Miroku and Sango's relationship against them. But these evil people (cough) have bigger fish to fry. * Oh, you'd LIKE me to tell you, wouldn't you? * **APRIL FOOL'D!**

Celestra: No, I just pulled it all out of my hat. Do I look like I have time to go researching things like that? I'm a busy guy. * Um...I'm not sure whether you realized this, but they ARE love-struck teenagers. * No, it's probably the fic that's killing me. I have a fever...and the only prescription is _more cowbell_. (Kudos if you know where that comes from.)

Kegger007: He's used to being extremely intoxicated. It's like the guy's bread and butter. He gets bored, he drinks. He gets bored a lot. * I haven't really counted...I'd say about a month and a half.

Lunar Inuyasha: Wouldn't YOU like to know!

Chi Master: I too have very little to say in response. Cheerio. * **APRIL FOOL'D!** I was just joking...jeez, take a pill or something.

Ryguy5387: But then where would all the fun be in my life? * He could...or he could just enjoy himself. What, is he going to die from overstimulation? He's a half-demon! He has stamina.

hersheykiss1012: My drunken writing bits are based on imagination, the media (movies, TV, etc.) and my sister's descriptions. Which are sometimes more than I'd like to hear.

Lasako: Has this...happened to you? * Ohio is known for being the only state that begins and ends with the same vowel. Unless I'm wrong. * Gray-chan, Gray-kun, you said you'd stop doing that!

Kitsy: You did review. Just now.

Mitsuki-kun: **APRIL FOOL'D!**

Valdimarian: I have no clue about anything you just said. Sorry. * **APRIL FOOL'D!**

Xirleb70: **APRIL FOOL'D!**

cynicalpup99: **APRIL FOOL'D!**

megu-sama: **APRIL FOOL'D!**

Rushyuo: It was an April Fool's Day prank. This is the real one.

Mechant Guy: I wouldn't want to kill anyone...

Jeanne-chan56: YOU KNOW MY PAIN! I have a life. Why do you think I take so bloody long to update?

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STORY!

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Chapter 55: Shattered

"As have I."

A streak of blue hurtled from the shrubbery, and the General landed on the ground right next to the well. Before anyone could make a move, his sword flashed in the sunlight.

The well shattered into a thousand pieces.

"Perhaps this will cease your well-wandering," said the General coolly. "It seems simply sealing it has no effect on you. I had hoped to avoid this, but you gave me no choice."

Tobias gaped at the broken well. Slowly, very slowly, he sank forward onto his knees. He clutched his face in his hands.

"Not again..." he whispered inaudibly. "Please...not again..."

"You monster!" wailed Shippo. He hurled himself at the General. "_Fox Fire!!!_" A jet of flame flew from Shippo's palm and rushed toward the General.

The General held up his sword. The blast of fire hit the sword, curled to the sides, and dissipated. Shippo ran at him; the General countered with a quick backhand that sent the little fox into the foliage. "As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted..." he began again.

"You _bastard!!!_" howled Inuyasha. Tetsusaiga transformed in a flash of light as Inuyasha leapt at the General. The General leapt from the spot, and Inuyasha missed cleanly. On his way down, the General lashed out and gave Inuyasha a punishing blow to the head with his armored boot. Inuyasha grunted as he hit the ground, half-unconscious.

The bottle of shards glinted, half-revealed from one of the pockets in his kimono – Inuyasha had taken them. The General nodded in approval, reaching down and plucking the shards from Inuyasha's inert form.

"Anyone else?" he said quietly. Miroku and Sango looked horrified, yet they stayed their attacks. "More reasonable than those two, at any rate. Boy?" The General glanced over at Tobias, who was still huddled on the ground. The General narrowed his eyes and turned away.

"But Kagome...you are the one whom I think would be most affected by this. Yet your reaction is a curious one," said the General, still looking away. Indeed, Kagome did not weep, or scream, or run; she merely stood, stock-still, and stared at the General.

Kagome didn't know what to think. Part of her couldn't even believe that the well was gone. It was simply outside of the realm of possibilities. She had never believed, never truly believed that her link to the future could be severed, not even in the early days when Inuyasha was in a rage over her leaving.

But a different, and stronger part of her told her...to deal with it. Hysterically sobbing or screaming or trying to attack the General...none of this would accomplish anything. She had lost her way home; she would deal with it. She _had_ to. If she didn't, she would go insane. There was nothing for it.

"I am surprised." The General turned for the first time and looked at Kagome. Her expression was that of resolution, _determination_ that she would deal with this and carry on.

"Not a tear shed from those eyes, not a sound escapes from those lips," he said, with a faint touch of amusement. "Almost like..." He trailed off as he gazed at Kagome. A small glimmer appeared in his eyes.

"Peculiar..." he said, with a bit of wonder in his voice. "Not one in ten million...the resemblance is..." He began to walk slowly toward Kagome.

With a roar, Inuyasha charged the General again, who sidestepped his blow and smashed him in the ribs with his powerful fist. As Inuyasha doubled over in pain, the General continued to walk.

"Why did I never notice it before?" The General's voice had dropped to a whisper. His eyes were slowly widening. Kagome had never seen him like this; she didn't know what to think. She stood her ground and fiercely stared back at him.

"Courage in the face of terrible loss..." he whispered again. He scarcely seemed able to believe what he was seeing as he closed in on Kagome.

She locked eyes with him, showing that she would not back down. Where she got this courage from, she did not know. But it seemed to Kagome that a great sense of calm was floating around her. She knew he would not harm her.

"Kagome..." the General breathed. "You...are the first powerless human...to ever stand against me..." He blinked once, twice. "Something I have not seen since..."

Suddenly, images came into Kagome's mind that she recognized as memories. But they were not hers. She had been unconsciously reading the General's aura, and she was seeing into his mind.

_The General, without his sword, holding hands with a pretty, black-haired girl._

_They laughed, and talked, and kissed._

_He held her in his arms and vowed never to leave her._

Kagome focused more closely on the girl, and gasped. She and Kagome looked nearly identical!

The memories were interrupted as Inuyasha, once more, lunged at the General. The General evaded Inuyasha's strike again, but this time lashed out with his powerful sword, cutting a slice across Inuyasha's back. Inuyasha fell to the ground and struggled to get back up.

"You even resemble her physically." The General was nearly to Kagome now, but she did not back down.

"Now I know why you seemed so familiar, when I first saw you," whispered the General. His voice shook slightly. "And why I showed you pity, that night in the citadel." He seemed to have shut out the rest of the world, focusing only on Kagome as he drew ever closer. "You remind me of her..."

The General stood before Kagome, right in front of her, almost touching her.

"Maria," he whispered, so softly Kagome could barely hear it.

To Kagome's shock, a single tear fell from the General's eye and slid down his face. The General leaned towards her and slowly raised his hand to cup her face.

"Beautiful..." he whispered, and his voice trembled.

.

"_Don't fucking **touch** my mate._" Inuyasha's voice shook even Kagome. She had never heard him sound that utterly terrifying. His voice was deep, with a predatory growl that sent ice into the onlookers' veins.

The General sighed slightly and turned to face Inuyasha behind him.

Too slow.

With an audible _crunch_ of metal splintering, Inuyasha rammed Tetsusaiga _through_ the General's armor, stabbing the massive sword through the General's chest. Inuyasha's momentum carried him away from the rest, sailing through the air with the General skewered on his sword.

  
Inuyasha realigned his grip in midair and slammed the sword down on the ground, so hard that the earth tore asunder under him. Blood came from the General's mouth as he struggled for breath.

Ripping Tetsusaiga from the General's body, Inuyasha didn't waste an instant as he whirled in a second strike. His slice came up under the General's shoulder.

He cut through the armor like it was soft butter and severed the General's right arm...

...the same arm that he used to touch Kagome.

Blood sprayed from the wound in a grotesque fountain as the General leaped across the crater. Howling with rage, Inuyasha came down for a third, and final, blow.

But the General had recovered.

As soon as his feet touched ground, the General did a backflip, kicking Tetsusaiga out of Inuyasha's grip, shattering every bone in his hand. While still in midair, he unsheathed his sword with his remaining arm.

The General hit the ground again and launched himself at Inuyasha, ramming into him with all the force he could muster. They were still in midair when the General pushed himself away from Inuyasha and whirled around; cutting a gash through Inuyasha's torso so deep, it was a wonder he didn't sever his spine.

Before Inuyasha even hit the ground, the General swooped in and stabbed him through the chest, almost exactly as Inuyasha had done to him. He yanked his sword back and kicked Inuyasha off the blade, leaving him to collapse on the floor.

Tobias had lifted his head and was staring at this exchange in a mix between awe and horror. Kagome gasped at the horrible injuries Inuyasha had taken. The others merely goggled at the battle.

The General was breathing hard, and his expression was a far cry from its usual calm neutrality. He pointed his sword at Inuyasha.

"I should finish you now, Inuyasha," he said in a voice tinged with anger, "but I will not. I want to see you suffer, first."

To even the General's surprise, Inuyasha began to rise. Slowly, he stood, panting hard, barely able to stand on his own. He pointed his unbroken hand at the General.

"Let that teach you, General," he snarled. "Don't _ever_ touch my mate."

"And what will you do about it, Inuyasha?" growled the General. "You are at my mercy. I could kill you so quickly you would not even see me."

"Maybe," groaned Inuyasha. He spat some blood at the General's feet. "But you're not."

The General snorted. "Inuyasha, it was a very foolish thing you did just now. You-"

"Foolish? Effective is more like it." Inuyasha grinned, his fangs bloody. "You might wanna put something on that arm...it's bleeding a lot."

"_As I was saying..._" the General hissed through clenched teeth, "you have just ensured your own doom!" He took a deep breath and began again, with less anger but emotion still. "Before this incident, Inuyasha, you were but an obstacle to me, an obstacle to retrieving the whole Shikon jewel."

He locked eyes with Inuyasha. "Now you are an adversary. You have been marked." The General gestured with his sword at the rest of the group. "First I will kill them...all of them...except for Kagome. And would you like to know why?"

"Feh. Why?"

The General smiled; a horrible, evil smile that sent chills down Inuyasha's spine. "Kagome has...other uses for me. I have done it before. You, restrained, forced to watch as I-"

He was cut off again with a deep-throated growl from Inuyasha.

"You try it and I'll kill you," Inuyasha roared. He took one faltering step, but nearly collapsed. The General's smile had disappeared, leaving only cold malice.

"You will fail. You damaged me, Inuyasha, both my body and my pride. And I will not allow such a thing to go unpunished. For now, I leave you." He raised his sword and began to glow blue. "Mark my words, Inuyasha son of Inutaisho. You, and all of them, will die." He vanished.

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Short, yes, but a lot to take in all at once. Problems abound! Whatever will we do? REVIEW!

Oh, and keep something in mind. Inuyasha and the General have never, actually, crossed swords...something to think about...


	56. Title Goes Here

Hi, dear readers. I've got this latest addition out in just seven days. A welcome change, I think, to the long wait times I've been giving you.

The chapter is slightly shorter than most, but longer than the last, so that's a plus, I guess. I don't know. For some reason, recently I feel like my entire life is falling to pieces around me.

I don't know why, or what causes this, but whatever it is, it's got me in a bit of an odd position socially. But I believe I'll muddle through somehow. I always do.

Anyhow, I couldn't think of a good name for this chapter. If anyone does, then let me know. I'm stumped.

Reviews. (There were so few...am I losing my fanbase?)

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Kai19: Where are you? You didn't review...you didn't respond to my email either. Is something going on? Tell me.

Ryguy5387: A lot of things are going to happen very fast in the next few chapters, so just hold on to your hat. I'd hate to see you lose your precious apparel.

Thief of Baghdad: Here! Take my gold coins and spices. But you'll never get ownership of the story! *shakes fist* It's not so much that Tobias hasn't grown into his powers, it's just that...well, read.

slvrstarlight: It might just. * Kagome has to deal with it, is all. * Yeah, that's kind of a trend for Inuyasha, eh?

Hanyou-demoness: Do you really think I'd kill off Inuyasha so soon? You have no faith in me. I'm going to kill him off LATER – oh, but I say too much. (Or am I joking?)

Lunar InuYasha: Inuyasha has some strength to him when it really gets down to the wire. Yeah, that April Fool's day joke was cruel, wasn't it?

Kegger007: Christopher Walken said what now? I'm confused. * It might...it might not.

RyoSanada1717: That just goes to show you: Mess with Kagome and you face the beast (Inuyasha). * I'm actually not sure if that's really his name, but that's what I've heard... * TELL me about it. High school sucks sometimes. * A Kikyo fan? DIIIIIE!!!! * Read Tybalt's entrance. Read _Romeo and Juliet_. Then tell me where I got Tybalt from.

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STORY!

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Chapter 56: ...

Inuyasha stood, breathing heavily. Blood was oozing from his huge wound and pooling on the ground beneath him. Tetsusaiga transformed back into its rusty state, and he slowly sheathed it.

Tobias approached. His eyes were closed, and he was looking down. Inuyasha glanced over in his direction.

"You."

"I'm sorry," muttered Tobias.

"You'd better fucking do better than that," snarled Inuyasha. "Why were you just lying there like a goddamn pansy? With your help, I could have killed that bastard, but you just sat there and whimpered to yourself."

"I didn't attack for two reasons, Inuyasha," said Tobias in a soft, sad voice. "First, it wouldn't do any good. He's too strong."

Inuyasha jerked his head over to the bottom of the crater. The General's bloody arm still lay there, like some grotesque trophy. "You call that not doing any good? I wouldn't be surprised if that asshole bleeds to death. I gutted him like a fish."

"No, Inuyasha. You're wrong." Tobias looked up and met Inuyasha's eyes. "What you did to him only slowed him down. I give him a day, maybe two, before he's back on his feet and stronger than ever before. He heals faster than I do, and faster than you do."

"I don't think he can heal that arm back onto his body," grumbled Inuyasha. "Even I can't do that, and I don't think you can either."

"I don't know about that, Inuyasha, but I don't doubt that he can. You want to know the other reason?" Inuyasha looked up at Tobias. He glared at him.

"I didn't want to say this when we were in your time, because I wanted everyone here to hear it. I had a plan, for when we got back here."

"A plan?" said Kagome faintly.

"Yeah. I thought that we could all hide in the deepest, darkest place we could find until Kagome finally figured out how to reunite the shards of the jewel. Then we'd make some wish, I don't know, and I'd leave. Without the jewel, the General didn't care about you all. Only I mattered to him."

Tobias glared back at Inuyasha. "Even as I saw the General take the shards from you, I still had a plan. Did you forget that I had this?" And Tobias reached under his armor, into his clothes; and pulled out the last, the very last Shikon shard.

"I would've taken this and ran. To mainland Asia, maybe Europe, it didn't matter. What mattered was that the General wouldn't have given you a second thought, and would have gone chasing after me. Sure, you wouldn't have the jewel, but who really cares?"

"I would have," growled Inuyasha.

"But now that won't work," said Tobias, and anger suddenly flooded his voice. "Because you had to be so fucking reckless and attack him, now you matter to him. Now he's marked you all!"

"Keh," snorted Inuyasha. "We can take him."

"No we can't! And that's the whole point!" Tobias went up closer to Inuyasha, as the rest of the group timidly closed in. "I thought that maybe, just maybe I could lure the General away from you without you taking any serious damage. But I couldn't, because of you!

"Listen to me, Inuyasha. This has happened to me before. Every time I find some people I call friends, some people whom I trust, the General arrives. He either kills them, or puts them through the most horrible torture you can imagine. He does it because he likes to see me suffer. That's the only reason I can think of. He enjoys watching me in pain.

"I thought I could avoid that fate with you. But I was wrong. It's happened before. It's happened thirty times before. He always attacks the ones I care about. And because of _you_...because of you deciding to attack him, you've sealed your fate, and all of theirs."

"Listen to me, you idiot!" roared Inuyasha. "Me and you together can kill him. Now stop fucking feeling sorry for yourself and maybe we'll have a chance to win!"

"WE DON'T!!!" Suddenly Tobias was right in Inuyasha's face, and yelling at him. "Don't you get it? We can't win! He's invincible! He's unstoppable! I've never so much as even seriously hurt him before and you think that you can take him down?!"

"YES!" roared back Inuyasha with equal fervor. "You're getting all depressed because he broke the well and threatened us! Listen to me." His voice suddenly dropped to a hiss. "I'm pissed off at him for breaking the well, too. Now Kagome will never see her family again. You think I don't care about that? You'd think she'd be crying her eyes out over it, but she's not! She's dealing with it. She's made of stronger stuff than you! Put yourself together!"

"You don't get it, Inuyasha," gritted Tobias. "This was a fluke. A lucky accident. The only reason you managed to hurt him is because for some reason, his emotions came out, and his power dropped. That same attack would've bounced off of him if he had been at normal strength. You got lucky, but you won't get lucky again."

"Seems to me we've figured out how to kill him," snarled Inuyasha. "Just get him angry about something and cut his fucking head off! We would've been able to cut him to pieces if you hadn't been sitting there like a baby!"

"You haven't done anything!" roared Tobias. "All you've done is hurt him a little bit, and he'll get over that! You've done more harm than good. I thought you cared about your friends, Inuyasha," he said, flinging his arm out to indicate them. "Apparently you don't. When you attacked him..._you doomed them all to death!!!_"

Silence.

A stray leaf fluttered to the ground.

The only sound that could be heard was Inuyasha's labored breathing and Tobias's angry muttering.

Inuyasha limped over, slowly, painfully, to the center of the crater. He picked up the blood-soaked arm, still armored, with bits of metal and bloody cloth trailing from its cut end, and brandished it before him like a club.

"Do you see this?" he said, in a low and dangerous whisper. "Do you see this blood? That was his blood. That was the General's blood. I attacked him and I drew his blood. That's more than I've ever seen you do." He flung the arm to the ground. "You're about as strong as I am, so get a fucking grip and we'll be able to take him down. And stop whining about how he's causing us pain. We'll deal with it. He didn't kill any of us, did he?" He waited about half a second. "No. He didn't. We'll survive. We'll get on with our lives. I wish I could say the same thing for you."

Silence again.

Sango came over to Inuyasha, coming closer to inspect his wound. "Inuyasha, you might bleed to death from that cut! I think you need to-"

"No." He cut her off.

"Are you crazy? He nearly cut you in half! You-" Inuyasha looked up at her and hit her with a glare that – despite her steeled nerves – made her take a step back.

"I'll be fine." He glanced over to Kagome, who had not moved from her spot.

"Mate," he called out. "Come here." Slowly, Kagome walked over to Inuyasha, until she was right in front of him.

"Are you all right?" he said softly. "Did he hurt you at all?"

"He barely touched me, Inuyasha," she said quietly in response.

"Are you okay? About this whole thing?" Kagome looked up at him. Her eyes were filled with unshed tears, but her voice did not waver.

"I'll survive, Inuyasha. We'll figure out something...I know we will."

Inuyasha gave a small chuckle. "That's my mate. Strong as anything." He looked over at her massive pack. "I hope you brought a lot of stuff...we're gonna be here for a while." Without another word, or change in expression, Inuyasha slowly fell over backwards, landing with a splash in a puddle of his own blood.

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The General materialized inside his citadel. He took two steps forward, then collapsed. He tried to push himself up, but failed, lying on the floor, still bleeding.

_I have suffered wounds ten times more grievous than this,_ he thought grimly. _And yet, this one pains me more than anything I have yet felt. There is something about that hanyou...something about Inuyasha...or perhaps, it is the sword..._ The witch chose that moment to walk in.

"Ah, Major," she cackled as she walked in. "So good of you to-" She spotted the General's prone form, covered in blood, and shrieked.

"General! Are you hurt? What happened? Was it the boy?" The General grunted. He lifted his head and stared balefully at the witch.

"I am wounded. Summon any demon or human with medical skills...I may need some help." She rushed out of the room, yelling for priestesses and doctors. The General lay still.

_I can feel the wounds healing, but they heal at such a slow pace...it is almost as though I did not possess my sword of power. This is something of the greatest importance, and something I must consider._ Two demons ran in, picked up the General gently, and carried him off to his room.

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That night, they made camp near the ruined well. Tobias was silent. Kagome was tending to Inuyasha's wounds; healing though they were, they were life-threatening nonetheless.  She had sewn him up with a needle and some thread that she had with her, hoping that it would hold him together long enough for him to heal.

Inuyasha had fallen asleep, probably from loss of blood, and Kagome couldn't do any more for him at the time. So she was sitting in front of the fire, thinking hard about what was going to happen.

"Kagome," said Tobias softly. She started and looked behind her, to see Tobias come up and sit down next to her. "I'm..." He looked away.

"It's okay," she said, in what she hoped was a soothing voice.

"No, it's not okay." Tobias sighed. "I've cut you off from your family and friends, I've gotten you kidnapped...I've caused you so much pain."

"It wasn't you," Kagome said gently. She moved closer to him.

"Yes, it was!" said Tobias, pulling away from her. "The General only looks for me. If it wasn't for me, none of this would have happened." He looked down. "I'm sorry."

"Tobias, it wasn't your fault," said Kagome, a little more firmly. "The General is after the jewel shards. He would have come whether you were with us or not. Actually..." She moved closer to him again. This time, he remained still. "You've helped us a lot. Without your help, we wouldn't know anything about the General. Without you, who would've protected me from Inuyasha and the others during that spell? Who would have helped beat that huge golem thing a while back? You've helped us a lot more than you realize."

Tobias said nothing. He sighed.

"You don't have enough confidence in yourself, Tobias," continued Kagome. "You need to realize that you can be just as strong as the General. I've seen you when you're strong enough to take on an entire army. The General isn't invincible."

"Kagome," said Tobias hollowly. "You don't understand. I've tried to attack him before, many dozens of times. I failed every time." He turned and looked into her eyes. "The only time I've ever really hurt him was when we first fought, and that didn't stay with him for more than a day or two."

"Inuyasha hurt him a lot," said Kagome, trying to change the subject. "With the two of you teamed up, I'm sure you can defeat him."

"I don't know. I just don't know." He looked into the fire, the flickering light casting deep shadows over his face. "Kagome...there's something about the General that Inuyasha doesn't know."

"What?"

"The way he usually is...it's not the height of his power, like he said it was. I've seen him at the height of his power. He's...he's unstoppable. I can't even hurt him when he's like that. He could kill me and Inuyasha faster than you could blink." He looked into the woods.

"Umm..." Kagome didn't really know what to say to that. She settled for a reassuring arm around his shoulder.

"You'll beat him," she whispered. "I just know it." Behind them, Inuyasha coughed and spat up some blood. Kagome hurried over to try and help him. Tobias sighed and stared into the fire.

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The General lay in bed, a poultice covering his wound. Thanks to the healing powers of the miko who had come, combined with the magic of the witch, his life was out of danger. But he was going to be out of commission for a while yet.

_Why is it I was so seriously hurt? And why am I not healing like I always do? It must be the sword...I must look into this more closely._ The General closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

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I will give props to anyone who can think of a good name for this chapter. Review.


	57. The Prophecy

Greetings. Sorry if I gave you false hopes of once-a-week updating...my schedule will just not allow it. I'm growing closer to exams, and I can't brook any interference with my studying. Those among you of school and college age, I'm sure, will sympathize with my plight.

Right. I've been mulling over suggestions for the title of the last chapter, and I've come up with: nothing. Nothing seems to fit it. I'll just leave it blank. You gotta throw your readers a curve ball every once in a while.

This chapter, however, was much easier to title. It was quite direct, really. Not the happiest of chapters, not that my last few have been all sunshine and daisies, but you have to have the bad along with the good.

Anyway, a lot of revelations in this chapter, bla bla bla, just read the damn thing if you want to know about it. I'm not the kind of guy who writes a good summary.

REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!!

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Kai19: (Chapter 55): I know JUST how you feel. * There are strange forces at work here. I'm definitely not saying she's Maria's reincarnation (that would be just, you know, stupid) but eh, things might be revealed in due time. * He already separated them once, maybe he'll try it again? Who knows? Except me, of course. HAHAHAHAHAHA * Well, read the next chapter, I guess. I forgot to mention anything about it...they'll find time to ask.

(Chapter 56): It might...ah, hell, I'll just go and say it. Remember what Toutousai said a few chapters back, about Tetsusaiga being a counter to the Three? This is one of the effects he was talking about. * Tobias hasn't figured it out yet. Give him a little time. * Yeah, they'll be doing that a lot recently.

Thief of Baghdad: Say...you're not the thief from _The Thief and the Cobbler_, are you? I loved that guy! * I doubt I could catch a thief in the building, but you'd be hard-pressed to find out any details, as I haven't written much past what I've posted.

Valdimarian: Some like short and fast, some like long and slow. (Get your mind out of the gutter.) If I write short chapters, it goes faster. If I write longer chapters, it goes slower. That's pretty much the size of it. * If Sesshomaru got his hands on the General's sword? That's an interesting scenario right there, isn't it?

Chi Master: I'm not really responding to each chapter title suggestion, seeing as I didn't pick any of them. But thanks for your input.

Ryguy5387: More about the swords? There'll be another bit of information about them in a little while...

Silver Warrior: Surprisingly perceptive. But I'd say it's more of a case where Maria was the only person he ever cared about, and after going for _so long_ pining after her, he's rather shocked to see her (almost) again.

Kitsy: Great!

Rushyuo: Technically, their swords never touched. Think about that for a while.

Mitsuki-kun: The question really is, "Does the General know that Toutousai made the Three and Tetsusaiga?" * It might. It might yet. * You weren't, eh? So you SAY... * Sorry, no can do.

Kegger007: The cowbell bit always cracks me up for some reason. * Why could Inuyasha stand? Because he's a friggin' brute, that's why. * Quite a lot of blood is needed for a splash. Which is why he ain't getting up for a while.

Celestra: Obviously a demon is going to go all-out to stop his mate from being harmed. Other animals do it, why not demons? * You're not the only one who's noticed that. But he has a fairly good reason for it. * If he DID know how troubled the General was, he'd probably feel a little better. Which is why the General is keeping this from everyone.

Jeanne-chan56: Did that...have anything...to do with the story? Ah, who cares. It's fun to read insane babblings and rantings, too. 

japanime-01: It WAS harsh. That's the point. Hopefully I won't drag this out so much that I can pull a SECOND April Fool's Day joke...that'd take an awful lot of time between updates.

Lunar Inuyasha: See, I can't do summaries. You can. That makes things easier on me.

gaylen: How come he hasn't used the Wind Scar? _Kaze no Kizu_? The General is HUMAN, remember. There's no demonic aura to affect. * I will finish. Don't worry about THAT.

hersheykiss1012: Kagome can't just curl up and die every time something bad happens. She'd be in the nuthouse by now.

draca8u: Funny story about that, actually. Look up at the top to see it.

Mechant Guy: I'm glad you liked it.

Queen of Roses: Okay. *cracks knuckles* FF.Net does not have the highest caliber of authors on it. Sure, there are many good ones, but I'd say the majority are...uhh...not worthy of publication. Like this one. * That simile is more interesting than a two-legged armadillo on a hot Arkansas road trying to cross...to get to the chicken...man, I'm no good with similes. * You thought agonizing torture is the best part? Okay... *shakes head* * An original story? Maaaaaybe. But then all the Inuyasha fans would be disappointed that I'm not doing another Inuyasha fic. * 1. Yes. They're depressing. I have enough depressing things in my life without immersing myself in them voluntarily. 2. Since March 25, 2003. So just over thirteen months. I was planning it for some months beforehand, though. 3. I got an idea for a really cool OC, and decided to shape a story around him. Little did I predict that it would balloon into this behemoth you now read. 4. Almost certainly, yes. 5. Yep. Saves the formatting. 6. Well, it IS fun to watch a bunch of angry fangirls bellowing about how I hurt "Sesshy-chan", but mostly it's part of the story. 7. I'll check it out as soon as I have five minutes to myself. Which means in about forty years. * I don't understand that shock and awe thing...explain it again?

Bidaaaaa!: I'm partial to peanuts, myself. And insanity is always fun. Except when you kill yourself. But as long as you don't kill ME, we will all be fine.

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STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Chapter 57: The Prophecy

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Three days had passed. Inuyasha was healed enough to travel, but he would clearly rip himself open if he tried to fight again.

Tobias was brooding. He seemed to have fallen into a deep, dark depression; and it was all the rest of them could do to get a few words out of him. Most of the time he stared into the distance, into the forests around them, avoiding eye contact.

In the rare occasions that he did speak, it was usually a quarrel between him and Inuyasha. Inuyasha would roar that Tobias had no confidence and was a coward, Tobias would counter that Inuyasha was ignorant of the General's abilities and had never stood a chance in the first place.

During one such exchange, the two of them were violently arguing in a field of grass just outside of the forest. The sound of their shouts echoed all the way back to the camp, where Kagome was making dinner. They had agreed that it was important to ration the packaged food that she had with her, seeing that their supplies were limited and they couldn't go back to get more. So Kagome cooked some fish and rice over the small campfire.

"Sango, would you watch this for a second while I try to get them?" said Kagome, jerking her thumb in the direction of the yells. Sango nodded with a baleful glance in their direction, then bent over the pan.

As Kagome approached the feuding friends, she began to hear the actual words that they were saying.

"...can't believe that you think you have even a CHANCE against him!!!"

"I'd have more than a chance if you weren't such a damn pussy and actually stood up to that bastard for once!"

"You think I haven't tried that before?! I've fought him many, many times, Inuyasha; it never does any good! All that happens is the people I care about get hurt or killed!"

"Feh. You told me YOURSELF that you nearly killed him back at your home city, what's-its-name."

"_Alarion_; and yeah, I hurt him, but he just got back up again and nearly killed me. Did I somehow forget to mention that he KILLED EVERYONE IN THE CITY? This wasn't a tiny village with a few huts made of straw. This was a massive city spanning miles. He killed them all!!"

"No shit he killed them all. I figured that out already. Maybe YOU'RE not strong enough to beat him by yourself, but I keep telling you that if we join up, we can kill him!"

"_No, we can't!!!_"

"_Yes, we fucking can! Grow a goddamn backbone, you-_" Inuyasha's tirade was interrupted by the Kagome walking into the clearing, cringing a little at Inuyasha's fierce tone.

The anger around both of them seemed to dissipate, and they turned to Kagome with slightly concerned expressions.

"Yeah?" said Tobias. There was no rage in his voice.

"What is it, Kagome?" Inuyasha said. He took a step forward. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine...I just wanted to say that dinner will be ready soon, so...you know..." Kagome gestured toward the camp, then began to back away slowly.

"Okay. We'll be there in a few minutes." Tobias's gaze turned back to Inuyasha, and his features hardened. "I just have to tell this idiot here a thing or two about power."

"Idiot, am I?!" And they continued to yell at each other as Kagome walked back to the camp, shaking her head.

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They traveled quickly the next day, Inuyasha and Tobias staying as far away from each other as possible while still being in the group.

About midday, they found themselves near a largish village; that, thankfully, the General had _not_ reached yet. They stopped outside of town, debating whether to go in or press on.

"I need to repair my armor," said Sango. "I require a leatherworker to patch it up again...your needle and thread aren't strong enough, Kagome."

"I need some more supplies to make my sutras," added Miroku.

"I wonder if they have cigarettes in this era," mused Tobias.

"Feh. If you're gonna go, then go. I'm staying out here," said Inuyasha.

"Come on, Inuyasha...come with me?" asked Kagome quietly. Inuyasha scowled, but he took Kagome's hand and walked into the town with her.

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"So where are we going, then?" groused Inuyasha as they walked through town. "You didn't say you had anything to do..."

"I don't," answered Kagome. "I just want to look around...and talk to some people..." She stopped. Something was...different...here.

"Kagome?" She didn't answer. Instinctively, Kagome reached out with her powers and sought the aura of this mysterious disturbance. She glanced over a nondescript building and paused. Yes...this was definitely it.

"Kagome? What is it?"

"It's just...I...I want to see what this place is, Inuyasha," said Kagome, a little confused. Inuyasha shrugged and went with her.

It was cluttered inside the building. Stacks of parchment teetered perilously on the tops of bookshelves, which themselves were crammed with moldering old tomes. Several strings of garlic and dried herbs hung from the ceiling; and the entire place had an odd, spicy smell to it.

A young girl was sorting some parchment at a desk in the corner. Kagome recognized her as a miko. As they approached, she looked up.

"Excuse me...what sort of place is this?" asked Kagome, a little hesitantly.

The girl smiled slightly. "Are you Kagome, the reincarnation of Kikyo?"

"Y-yes..."

"Ah. So the rumors were true, then." She glanced over Kagome's shoulder to Inuyasha's sullen visage. "It is a rare thing, indeed, for a miko to be mated to a demon."

"Oh. Umm...he's only half-demon..." said Kagome, a little affronted.

"Rarer still." Inuyasha growled slightly. "But I am forgetting my manners," the girl said quickly. "I am Yumi, disciple of the Seer within."

"The Seer?" said Inuyasha, puzzled.

"A powerful miko who possesses the unique ability of sight beyond sight. She can peer into the future and read what outcomes may occur." Yumi glanced behind her at a door that was closed. "But she is meditating now, and cannot be disturbed. Perhaps you could come back later?"

"No, we'll wait," said Kagome quickly. Inuyasha stared at her.

"_We'll_ wait?" Inuyasha started edging toward the door. "I'm not sticking around this place any more than I have to...it creeps me out." He paused. "Why are you so manic about coming here anyway?"

"I don't know...There's just something about this place, about this woman, that...well, she seems important. I want to hear what she has to say."

"A wise decision indeed," affirmed Yumi. "The Seer has changed many lives with her sooth-saying abilities...have a seat. She will be with you when she is ready."

Kagome sat. Inuyasha jerked his head toward the door, beckoning for Kagome to follow him. She did, but only to just outside the building.

"I'm gonna leave...people are giving me funny looks. And I know what that leads to," finished Inuyasha with a low growl. "Are you sure you'll be okay by yourself?"

"Inuyasha, I'm not made of glass. I'll be fine."

"Kagome..." Inuyasha pulled her close to him, so their faces were almost touching. "I love you, and I care about you. I just want to make sure you're safe." Inuyasha dipped his head and kissed Kagome, bringing her to him in an embrace.

They broke apart after a few seconds, Kagome panting slightly. "Inuyasha..." she murmured. "I love you too." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll be fine. I should be done in a few minutes." Reluctantly, he let her go, and she disappeared into the shop. Inuyasha smiled, then left.

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Kagome checked her watch again, thanking the gods for the hundredth time that she had remembered to bring it with her. It had been over an hour, and the Seer showed no signs of coming out. She was beginning to get impatient.

The door creaked open, and Tobias walked in. "Is this where they sell..." He glanced around and spotted Kagome. "Oh, Kagome, you're here. I was wondering where you'd gotten off to." He looked around again. "Where's Inuyasha?"

"Inuyasha's off by himself somewhere. He says he doesn't like this place."

"Judging by all the miko stuff here, I'm not surprised." Tobias sat next to Kagome. "What is this place, anyway?"

"It's the home of a soothsayer, a strong miko, who I was hoping to talk to."

"Ah. Makes sense enough. Well, I'm done with my errand, so I'll just wait here with you, I guess." Tobias had scarcely finished speaking when Miroku walked in.

"Excuse me, have you seen – Kagome, you're here. I've been looking for you." He came into the shop. "Sango is off getting her armor fixed, and I purchased what I needed for my sutras..." He sat next to Tobias. "What is this place, anyway?"

"The home of a fortune-teller, a Seer, who I wanted to talk to."

"I've heard stories about these seers," said Miroku. "The things they say can be both great and terrible, but there are many false soothsayers around..." He trailed off under Yumi's glare.

About five minutes later, Sango stuck her head in, with Shippo crouched on her shoulder.

"Miroku?" She saw him sitting. "Someone said they saw you come in here..."

"Kagome!" said Shippo. He leaped from Sango's shoulder and ran to Kagome.

"Hi, Shippo," said Kagome, with as much cheer as she could muster.

"Do you mind if I wait here? My armor is still being repaired..." She took the last seat on the row. "Why are you here? What sort of shop is this?" Sighing slightly, Kagome started to explain again.

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The General lay in bed. He was asleep. A rare thing indeed, for the General, but the witch and the miko had determined that it was the best thing for him, to allow his body to heal. The General didn't like the idea; he thought it left him vulnerable. But it was either that or several more days bedridden. So, drinking several potions, the General had nodded off.

But as he slept, the General dreamt, dreamt as he had not in millennia...

_He was in a city, a city he recognized well. Massive stone buildings stood high on the ground, and a great river flowed into a vast lake. Yes, he knew this place..._

_Alarion._

_But it was deserted. Not a single person besides him was in this miles-wide metropolis. Thoroughly puzzled, he glanced around him._

_It was darkness, all around. He could barely see the capital building in the distance; indeed, could hardly see the tree next to him, in the gloom. The moon was not out, nor were the stars. And yet..._

_He wasn't alone. He heard a noise._

_From the blackness leaped a creature like he had never seen before. It didn't even seem to have a physical form, it appeared to be crafted from shadow and smoke. He caught a brief glimpse of razor claws and blood-drenched fangs before it vanished into the dark._

_He drew his sword. It glowed a faint blue, but the darkness was unabated._

_Suddenly, from behind him, the creature leaped! He whirled and slashed at it with his sword; a telling blow, he knew._

_But there was no impact. When the sword touched it, it simply dissolved into mist._

_From another angle, it attacked him again, and again he struck out with his blade. And again it exploded into a thousand wisps of vapor._

_Around him – he couldn't tell from where – the creature, whatever it was, laughed; a hideous, growling laugh that filled him with fear. It was like nothing he had ever heard before, and he silently wished he would never hear it again._

_All at once, it charged him from the front. He raised his sword to defend, but it was suddenly gone from his hands. He barely had time to glance around for it when the creature roared, raising a mighty blade, glowing red, straight towards him...and straight down on him._

The General awoke. He sat up, his eyes wide, and took a couple of quick breaths. His eye twitched slightly as this caused his wound to ache. Regaining his usual composure, he lifted his left hand and looked at it.

His sword was in it. As always.

He didn't have time to ponder this much, as immediately after this, a demon knocked on the thick wooden door. The General blinked, then laid back down.

"Come in," he said calmly. The demon walked in and saluted.

"Sir. News from our scouts in the Western Lands," he said briskly.

"Tell me, Lieutenant."

"The reports say that the leader of that province, Lord Sesshomaru, is assembling a vast army of humans and demons to assault the citadel."

"_What?_" The General lifted his head.

The demon cringed at even the tiny amount of emotion in the General's voice, something he was not used to hearing. "S-sir, I said that Lord Sesshomaru is c-creating an army with the intention of attacking us."

"How large? What are their numbers?" said the General, calm once again.

The demon relaxed a little at hearing things go back to normal. "Roughly ten thousand strong, sir."

"Ten thousand." The General closed his eyes. "And I have but two thousand under my command, and am in no condition to do battle..."

"Sir?" The General looked at the demon. "Our scouts also say that the army is not yet mobilized, and may take as much as two weeks to arrive here."

"Two weeks." The General released the small amount of tension he had in him. "That is more then sufficient time for our plans to be finalized. I believe the witch said eleven more days?"

"Yes, sir. Eleven days until the final seal is broken."

"Good. Very good. You are dismissed."

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Another half-hour had passed. Kagome was growing increasingly bored, and was mulling over thoughts of just leaving. Before she could finish, her train of thought was interrupted by Inuyasha barging in.

"What the hell is taking so long?" he demanded. "And why is everyone here?" Kagome started to answer, but before she began, the door opened.

There was a girl in the doorway, younger than Yumi, barely older than Kagome. She wore traditional miko robes, but they had elaborate patterns and intricate designs stitched on them. Her hair was pure white, and reached her knees. She had a warm smile on her face, and her eyes sparkled with merriment.

"Someone here to see me, Yumi?" she giggled. "Lots of people, it looks like. Are you all here for little old me?"

Everyone except for the Seer and Yumi sweatdropped. _Okay, I wasn't expecting THIS..._ thought Kagome, bewildered. _She's so young! How can anyone this young be a seer?_

The Seer's gaze fell on Kagome. "Ah, Kagome! I've been expecting you around here." She clapped her hands together. "We have a lot to talk about."

"How did you know she was coming?" said Inuyasha warily.

"I would be a pretty rotten Seer if I didn't know, right, Inuyasha?" She smiled cheerily at him. "And Miroku, Sango, and Shippo! So good of you all to turn up."

"I'm not entirely convinced," said Tobias. "They might have come through here before, or something. I've never been around here. So, Ms. Seer, tell me my name, if you would be so bold."

She looked right at Tobias and said in a clear voice, "Tobias son of Antwelm son of Tiberius son of Claudius, of the last dynasty of the kingdom of Alarion." Her face lit up. "Am I right? Tell me I'm right."

Tobias was stunned. "That's...right..." he said slowly. "How..."

"If it makes you feel better, you can just pretend I'm making it all up. Doesn't matter to me either way. 'Cause you're not the one who's here to see me. That person would be you, Kagome."

"Yes," said Kagome clearly. The Seer beckoned Kagome into her room, and they went in and shut the door. The room was even messier than the previous one had been, with voodoo dolls and paper slips with arcane markings and glowing trinkets scattered about.

"I've been redecorating," said the Seer carelessly, flinging a hand out to indicate the sloppy state of the place. She flopped into a huge stuffed pouf. Kagome sat in a wooden chair.

"Now tell me," said the Seer, leaning forward with her chin in her hands, "what do you want me to tell you?"

"You don't know that already?"

The Seer laughed. "I don't know EVERYTHING. I can just tell certain things about the past and future, that's all. I'm not a mind-reader." She sat up. "So what is it you want me to predict?"

Kagome thought. _I want to know what's going to happen when we finally confront the General,_ she thought almost at once. _I want to know what the outcome of the battle will be._ "Tell me...tell me what will happen when we fight the General, finally."

"Oh, I've heard of him. He's a real nasty guy, he is. I don't like him at all. Now let's see..." The Seer closed her eyes. She was perfectly still.

For about five solid minutes, she said nothing, and moved not a hair. Kagome fidgeted. This was a bit awkward. She was mulling over stepping outside and letting her wait it out, when suddenly, the Seer spoke.

Her voice was vastly different. The cheery, lilting soprano was replaced by a steady baritone that seemed to echo through the tiny room. Her eyes did not open.

"**The fallen general of Alarion shall make his move, in eleven days time...he will summon something that has not been seen for millennia, something believed destroyed long ago...**"

Kagome leaned closer in. This was important. He was going to summon something?

"**With it, he shall challenge the last prince of Alarion...the prince will have many allies on the field of battle, some foreseen, some unexpected...they shall fight for many hours...**"

The Seer paused. For two more minutes, she said nothing at all. Kagome, however, had given up all thoughts of leaving. She _had_ to hear the rest of this. Kagome was leaning forward, eyes locked on the Seer, focused only on her.

"**But in the end, the alliance shall be in vain...for the general shall prevail, and strike down the prince...his allies...**" Kagome's eyes grew wide.

"**They shall all die.**"

Kagome felt the bottom fall out of her stomach at those words. She began to focus on the Seer's aura, trying to block out everything else, trying to forget the words she had just heard. But the images she sought in the Seer's mind confirmed the grisly truth.

There lay Tobias, sprawled at an unnatural angle, covered in blood.

Then it was Miroku, whose broken body lay on a stone floor, surrounded by shards of ice.

Then Sango, who was barely recognizable for the blood and entrails surrounding her. Her severed hand still clutched Hiraikotsu.

Then one she did not recognize, similarly dead. She strove to see, but the image was stolen from her in favor of another.

Then...then...

She saw just his face. His white hair matted with blood. His golden eyes, blank and lifeless. His mouth, hanging open, blood trickling from one of his fangs.

Then the image grew clearer, and she could see...

He had no neck. Just Inuyasha's severed head.

With a burst of will, Kagome pulled herself from the Seer's mind. The Seer was blinking and seemed to be coming out of the trance she was in. Hot tears ran from Kagome's eyes and down her cheeks.

Her mouth moved soundlessly, striving to form words. Slowly, her numb lips produced sound.

"No..." she whispered. "It...can't be. No." She stood up, backing away from the girl. The Seer also rose. She reached toward Kagome and said something, but Kagome didn't even hear her.

"It can't be true. It just can't! It won't!" Kagome turned and bolted out the door.

Inuyasha was already on his feet as Kagome entered the main room. She dashed to him, his arms wrapping around her in a surprised embrace. The others rose likewise.

"Kagome...what...?" said Inuyasha, completely confused.

"Nothing." Kagome's eyes were red and watery, but her voice held firm. "Let's go." She started to walk towards the door, pulling Inuyasha with her.

"But...what happened in-?" Tobias was silenced by a glare from Kagome.

"Nothing. She's just a fraud who made a few lucky guesses. Let's just go." And with that, she walked right out.

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Oooooh...is it true? Is it a prophecy or a fever dream? Only time will tell. But kind of a biggie, ne? REVIEW!


	58. The General's Cruelty

All work and no play makes Gary something something.

Random reviewer: G-go crazy??

**DON'T MIND IF I DO!!!!!!!!!!** YEARGHABIBBLE!!!!!!!!!!!

Honestly, I could kill myself lately. The combination of a horrible writer's block and upcoming final exams have left me a nervous wreck. Not to mention the endless band practices for the big trip we're taking at the end of the year. (We're going to Washington D.C. for the big WWII Memorial Dedication Parade, and we're representing our home state! Woot!!!)

Anyway, sorry for the long wait, but this is a largish chapter, at slightly over eight pages. I hope that makes up for it.

Every reviewer, in unison: _IT DOESN'T!!!_

Well, deal with it. Unless you can crawl through the Internet and hold a gun to my head, until the school year ends I likely won't be updating with tremendous speed. It'll pick up during summer when I have nothing to do, but recently is not a good time.

But, enough about my personal life, nobody cares anyway. Revie...

Wait, wait, before I start reviews, one quick thing. When you review...a quick word or two outside the story is fine and dandy, especially if I invite it; but, you know, reviews are supposed to be used for REVIEWING. I'm not complaining (much) but among other things, I don't want the fine folks at FF.Net to delete this story and accuse me of running a chat or message board with my reviews. Just to let you know.

Also, even if it's your first review and you haven't gotten a response, or you normally skip everyone's review response except your own, kindly glance through this batch. There are two large announcements in bold which pertain to everyone.

That's enough of that. REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!

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Kai19: Mysteriously absent again. I'll bet my bottom dollar that finals are wreaking as much havoc with your spare time as they are with mine. Eh, review when you can, I'm in no particular hurry. (Oh **PLEEEEEEEASE **REVIEW!! I'LL GIVE YOU A MILLION DOLLARS...)

Valdimarian: Put your mind in the storm drain if you like, but it'll get all soggy. And that isn't exactly "brainstorming". Inuyasha is quite adept at kicking the asses of those who would harm Kagome. Even when said person is much, much stronger than he is. Okay, I'm confused. I always thought that the Kaze no Kizu was when he sliced into the wind scar, a manifestation of a DEMON'S energy that he located by scent. Am I wrong? Consider yourself lucky. YOU HAVE A DAMN MUSE. Mine seems to be in New Jersey or somewhere where I am not. I just pulled the name Yumi out of a hat. Don't look too far into it. It does, does it? Well...I wouldn't be one to say anything about THAT. Sesshomaru can move faster than people anticipate, but the General is a master of military strategy. Heck, look at his title. I'll not deal with paradoxes. Let's just say it all works out in the end and deal with it from there. Rest assured, I DO have a plan for maintaining continuity.

Ryguy5387: Can't it, Ryguy? Can't it? I would like to remind you that I and I alone have the power. It MIGHT be Sesshomaru, but it just MIGHT be someone else. I'll tell you this much: Whoever it was, we've seen before in this story. There will. Tetsusaiga in particular. Read on to find out more. (But not a whole lot more.)

Thief of Baghdad: While I always appreciate interesting comments, I appreciate it more when people review and actually, you know, say something ABOUT THE STORY. Just a heads-up for the future.

japanime-01: You wonder? I KNOW! **MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!**

Queen of Roses: People aren't generally courteous after someone says all their friends will die. I've been meaning to get to that, and I swear I will. I still don't get it, but meh.

Kegger007: He was riding high for quite a bit, but he's not invincible. Just really, really tough. He COULD hit Sesshomaru's army, assuming of course that he wasn't otherwise occupied. A signed review. How scrumdiddlyumptious!

Mechant Guy: ducks and covers IF YOU KILL ME, I CAN'T FINISH THE STORY!

AkuReiX: A hypocrite about what? I've already forgotten. It's a moderately long review. For long reviews, check out Kai19, Queen of Roses, and Valdimarian. THOSE are bloody long reviews.

The Foxen: It's not about the –kun or –chan, you can add those if you want; it's the fact that you keep spelling my name Gray! It isn't Gray, it's Gary! My name is Kagome! KA-GO-...wait, that's not right. What pleadings were those? slinks away Copy-written? It's a thought...but I have another idea. See below...

Ahem. We interrupt this review response to bring you a special bulletin.

**TOBIAS, AS THE OC, IS MINE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO USE HIM, YOU CAN ASK VERY NICELY. YOU STEAL, _I KILL._**

That is all.

KillaBri: He isn't all-powerful, he's just damn tough. Inuyasha always wins, eh? Eh? smiles evilly I'm in Pre-Calculus and I still don't understand that theorem. But, meh.

Silver Warrior: That it is. But moving and changing in which direction? I'll leave that for you to answer...

Mitsuki-kun: I wish someone would draw this story for me. I have some writing skills, but my artistic talents are limited to stickmen, so I'm not much of a drawer. But I just thought of something...

Ahem. We interrupt this review response AGAIN to bring you ANOTHER special bulletin.

**If anyone's interested in drawing pictures of Tobias or the General, based on the descriptions I've given, they are more than welcome to do so. Just email 'em over to me, and I'll stick 'em on the Internet for all to see. I might offer incentives for doing so...**

That is all.

RK? You mean Rurouni Kenshin? I'm not familiar with Hiko...and the General is most definitely NOT a cyborg. Threats are like promises, but they're always kept. Unfortunately for me. hides

Jeanne-chan56: YOU'RE GOING _CRAAAAAAAAAAAAZY!!!!!_ Take me with you!!! Wait, wait, wait. Are you suggesting in that brief summary that the General kills Tobias and the Inuyasha gang isn't involved? Well...I can say with all authority that the second half is completely UNTRUE.

Chi Master: It's hell. But I have just three more weeks, and then GLORIOUS FREEDOM...

hersheykiss1012: It may come true. It may not. You'll just have to wait and see. draws axes Let them come! There is one dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath! Err, I mean I'll deal with them. That's why I'm typing this from a secret underground bunker miles under the surface of the earth. I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU CATCH ME HERE!!!

Celestra: Few people enjoy ice to the extent that the General does. Except for those odd people who chop holes in iced-over lakes and swim in them. They're just nuts. I thought it'd be a bit interesting to have an awesome Seer who's like a bouncy teenager. Is it real? IS IT? You'll have to wait and see. Changing time? **NOOOOOOOOOOO...** I can't deal with that level of complexity! Changing time adds several new dimensions to a story that I'm not prepared to explore. Yes. Yes, I do.

Yume no Yami: I'll do my best. Kits is Kitsune, I take it?

Angel-of –Love69: I hope you don't get lost. I wouldn't like my readers stumbling around my story in a daze, haphazardly selecting random chapters... She might...well, she probably is. But have they really thought about such a thing? Geez, I can't live up to EVERYONE'S expectations. Next thing you know, they'll be asking me to write the sixth Harry Potter book. But seriously, I will try to do my best in the future. Yeah, I put a lot of effort into those. I'm glad people appreciate them.

**C-C-C-C-COMBO BREAK – STORY!!!!! **(An inside joke. Don't ask.)

(Story begins. It won't let me do the row of asterisks, so this is it. Story begins.)

.

Chapter 58: The General's Cruelty

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That night, the group made camp well outside the city. Kagome wanted nothing more to do with that place, and she refused to explain why that was or what the Seer had told her.

She was afraid. Afraid that if she told Tobias, he would lose what little hope he had. Afraid that if she told Inuyasha, he'd run off to fight the General himself to "prove that stupid girl wrong." Afraid that if she told nobody, then it would inevitably prove to be true.

So Kagome sat, and stared into the fire, and held Inuyasha close to her. Inuyasha didn't know what to make of this, as Kagome wouldn't tell him anything, so he just held her close and comforted her and assured her that everything would turn out all right.

Unfortunately, this turned out to be exactly the wrong thing to say. Kagome burst into floods of tears and wailed, huddling into a ball near the fire. Inuyasha moved closer to her, shooting a look at Tobias that clearly said,_ What the fuck am I supposed to do??_

Tobias's returning look just as clearly read, _How the hell should I know? Figure something out!_

Inuyasha, feeling let down, gathered Kagome into his arms and stood up. He started to walk away.

"Umm...where are you going?" said Tobias. Inuyasha turned around and leveled him with a piercing gaze.

"To take care of my mate," he said bluntly. And with that, he leaped into the trees and was gone.

.

The General sat up. He was in a bit of a bad mood – which, for him, meant he had a slight edge to his voice – from sleeping so long. He felt that this was wasted time, sleeping.

_At least my stomach wound is healed,_ he thought, glancing down at his torso. His armor had renewed itself – as it always did after taking damage – and the hole through his abdomen was gone, with but a faint scar where it had once been.

His other wound, however, had not healed so perfectly. The blood flow had ceased, but the General was now without a right arm. This annoyed him tremendously. Had it not been for his ambidexterity, he would have been severely hampered.

_Yes, Inuyasha shall pay for this indignity...but other things are more important. Healing and vengeance will come later._ The General picked up a small bell on his bedside table. He rang it once.

In five seconds, a demon appeared at his door and saluted.

"Yes, General?"

"At ease, Sergeant. Any news on the goings-on of the boy and his group?"

"Indeed, sir. Earlier today, one of our scouts spotted them heading into a large town about four hundred sixty miles southwest of here. He tracked them until they entered a building that was later identified as the dwelling of a famous Seer. It appears that the Seer within revealed to them information, but exactly what is as yet unknown. The girl, however, seemed quite upset as she left."

"Interesting..." The General stood up. "I will visit this Seer at once."

"Sir?" The General paused and looked at the demon, who backed up several steps. "I-It's just that...with your wound, and...well, sir, it might not-"

"It is an inconvenience, Sergeant, and nothing more," said the General shortly. "I shall simply have to do without until a substitute can be found." And without another word, the General swept out of the room, leaving the demon behind.

.

Inuyasha had taken Kagome to the top of a very, very tall tree. He had removed their clothes, which hung from one of the other branches.

They had just held each other, making love sometimes, but mostly just drawing comfort from each other's embrace and the feeling of skin on skin. Kagome still cried, clinging to Inuyasha like he was her only solace, her life raft in a dark storm.

Inuyasha's idea, however, had worked. It took most of the night, but Kagome finally began to calm down; and when the sun rose on the two mates, her eyes were red from crying but dry.

The morning finally came. They dressed, and Inuyasha took Kagome back to their camp. Tobias glanced at the two of them as they walked in, but knew better than to ask anything.

They had started making breakfast. Kagome sat, no longer looking so upset but merely deep in thought.

"It won't happen," she murmured to herself. She looked up at the rest of the group. "Fate...isn't something you can read like a book. We all have the power to make our own destiny. It's our choices that will determine whether we live or die." Kagome stood up.

"I'm not worried about it," she said confidently. The others looked at her, a bit puzzled but glad.

"Good for you," came an eerily familiar voice. Kagome turned around slowly to see the General standing behind all of them, in the woods.

"General," she said flatly. The General's eyebrow arched.

"Not afraid of me, Kagome?" Kagome shot a defiant look at him in response. _I can fix that,_ he thought grimly. The General leaped over Kagome's head into the center of the group.

"I request an audience," he said quietly. "I must speak with you...Kagome."

"Like hell," snarled Inuyasha, drawing Tetsusaiga. The General sighed.

"Despite your previous...accomplishments, Inuyasha, do not think that you can stop me from doing as I will." He turned to Inuyasha and fixed him with an even gaze. "You cut off my arm, but you did not kill me, and you shall not." He drew his sword.

The General heard another sword drawn, behind him. He did not turn around as he spoke.

"So, boy, you choose to fight? And here I was thinking that you had lost all hope."

"Feh. It's about damn time you got some balls," Inuyasha said angrily.

"I am not here for a fight, Inuyasha," said the General calmly. "However, if you force me..." He took one step towards Inuyasha. "Kagome," he said. "Would you be willing to hear me out?"

"If you can say it in front of me, you can say it in front of everyone, General," Kagome said, with more courage than she felt.

The General arched an eyebrow. "Not under these circumstances. So I shall have to do it the hard way." He leaped towards Kagome, but Inuyasha was already there. The General raised his arm to knock away Inuyasha, but realized too late that he no longer had that arm.

Inuyasha swung upwards to strike the General, and might have cleaved him in half if the General had not twisted in midair, turning the edge of Tetsusaiga so Inuyasha hit with the flat of his blade. Nevertheless, it sent the General flying away. He did a reverse somersault in midair and landed on top of a tree.

Tobias ran up and cut the tree down in one stroke. As it fell, the General jumped clear, deflecting Tobias's sword on the way down. Inuyasha rushed on him as he landed, but the General gave a savage kick to the side, and Inuyasha stumbled past.

Tobias and the General exchanged blows, to no real effect, when the General suddenly moved in and struck. The blade sunk into Tobias's side, and he groaned in pain as he staggered back. The General attempted to leap clear, but Inuyasha was upon him. Their swords connected with a _clang_ that resounded through the woods.

And with that _clang_ came a mysterious pulse of energy that the three swordsmen all sensed.

The General froze. He withdrew his sword and backed off a step, Inuyasha doing likewise. Tobias just stood, puzzled by this new turn of events.

_The sword..._ thought the General. _It has to be that sword of Inuyasha's..._ Suddenly, he dashed at Inuyasha, ramming into him with a speed Inuyasha couldn't compensate for. With his arm, he flung Inuyasha away, then turned and grabbed Kagome.

She shrieked at this sudden uprooting. Both Inuyasha and Tobias ran at the General, but the older man was now forgoing combat in favor of running. The General moved incredibly fast, outpacing Tobias and Inuyasha within seconds. He took a mighty leap and landed on the other side of a large hill, panting slightly.

"I cannot teleport and hold Kagome at the same time," he murmured. "Damn him. If it had not been for Inuyasha..." The General resumed running for several more minutes, pausing only when they had reached a dark cave.

The General put Kagome down and started to concentrate. His body glowed blue. Kagome got up and ran for it, hoping she could evade him until he fully teleported. But she was just a human, and too slow. The General's arm caught her in a tight embrace just as the two of them flashed out of sight.

.

They reappeared in front of the General's sanctum. The General put Kagome down again and took a deep breath.

"As I said before," he began, "I request an audience. Kagome, there are some things I must talk with you about."

"Like what?" Kagome was determined not to let her fear show in her voice. Sure, she was confident and all, but the General could still kill her with a snap of his fingers.

"Walk with me." The General sheathed his sword and motioned for Kagome to follow him. She tentatively followed him, as he began a slow walk around the perimeter of his citadel.

They were silent for some time. Kagome was making mental notes of the surrounding scenery; the mountains, the trees, what the place looked like. She wanted to know where, exactly, they were, so she could find the place later. The General either didn't notice or didn't care.

The sun was just rising. Rays of light stabbed out over the domed top of the General's citadel. The entire sky was orange-red in color, and the land seemed to be bathed in red light. It was, in fact, quite pretty; but Kagome had other things to think about.

She looked up at his face. His features seemed chiseled in stone, completely immovable and unchangeable. No trace of emotion flickered behind his eyes, and no frown or smile graced his face. He might as well have been an automaton.

"Kagome," said the General suddenly, making her start and turn towards him. "There are several things I must speak with you about. One of those being your visit to the Seer."

Kagome stared at him. "How did you know...?"

"I saw her myself," the General said quietly. "She told me something of great importance. What did the Seer tell you?" Kagome turned away, casting her eyes downwards.

The General stopped and looked at her. His brow arched. "Kagome, nothing will be changed by telling me. Think about it logically." She looked at him, a bit puzzled. "If the prophecy was true, then it will happen regardless of whether you tell me or not. If it was false, then nothing will be changed."

He looked straight into her eyes, at an odd angle considering he was easily a foot taller than her. "Kagome..." he spoke again. He lowered his voice. "What did she tell you?"

Images, images that she had seen yesterday, flashed through her mind; and tears came to her eyes at the thought. But she blinked them back, and her voice shook only slightly when she spoke.

"She said...that all my friends, Tobias, Miroku, Sango...Inuyasha...that they would all fight you, and they would all..." The breath caught in her throat, but she swallowed it and pressed on. "...die."

The General blinked. He did not change his countenance, but Kagome could almost see him thinking. He seemed to ponder this for a while, creasing his eyebrows with thought.

"That..." he said finally, "...is very strange." He looked into the distance. "She told _me_ that I would suffer a great defeat, at the hands of..." He paused.

_At the hands of my greatest fear, she said..._ he thought. _But I fear nothing and nobody...what could this mean?_ "She said that I would be defeated," he finished. "So there appears to be a bit of discrepancy between our respective prophecies."

"What does that mean?" Kagome whispered.

"As nearly as I can tell," said the General slowly, "it means she was either lying or insane." He turned back to Kagome. "Either way, neither prophecy can be taken as the truth. This relieves no small amount of tension for the both of us, I would imagine." He began walking again, and Kagome followed a second later.

The General was silent again for some minutes more, and Kagome did nothing but keep up with him. Her thoughts were a whirlwind: of relief of its falseness, of puzzlement over her willing acceptance, of fear that it may yet be true, of anger at the Seer for misleading her.

"There was one thing..." she said hesitantly, and the General turned his head to look. "What is your name? Your real name?"

The General did not answer. He looked into the sunrise, which was by now straight in front of them. He closed his eyes and bowed his head slightly, as if deep in thought.

"I cannot say," he said eventually. "If you were to know my name, you would know far too much about me. The basis of many peoples' power over the years has stemmed from anonymity. While mine does not work exactly that way...it would just be best if you did not know my name." He picked up the pace just a little bit.

"There was another subject I must broach, but it is not exactly a question," said the General. "It has come to my attention, from how zealously you guarded the Jewel from me, that you have no clue what I actually intend to use it for."

"Th-that's right..." said Kagome unsteadily. "So...what are you going to use it for?"

The General looked down at Kagome again, but continued walking. "I had originally meant to use it to aid me in a great summoning spell I have been crafting for some months now, but when you stole the shards away from me I had no choice but to find an alternative. Luckily for me, I was successful, and the project continues unabated.

"But this does not truly answer your question. While doing research on the properties of the Jewel, I discovered that not only can it amplify any magical effects – empowering a great spell, in my example, or converting a half-demon to a full-demon – it has the ability to grant a wish to he who possesses it.

"So what purpose, may you ask, would I put it to? Increasing my power is a likely candidate, but I am sufficiently confident in my power –" here he tapped the hilt of his sword lightly – "to not desire any more. There is a fine line between the desire for strength and megalomania."

Here the General stopped walking and turned fully to face Kagome. "Kagome, of all the demons and beasts and horrid creatures that walk this earth, I am absolutely sure in telling you that I am the strongest there is. No human, demon, or otherwise has ever been able to match me in power; not even the boy or Inuyasha. Inuyasha may gain temporary strength from his protectiveness of you, but he cannot hope to equal me.

"There was...is one thing that I desire, more than anything else. I have been searching all my life for such a device as the Jewel, and you continually snatch it from my grasp. The last shard still eludes me, despite all my efforts to find it. I am convinced that you and your ilk have something to do with that, but I cannot focus on that now.

"I am emotionless, Kagome. Nothing can rouse any feelings in me, be it anger or fear or hatred or joy. It is simply the way I am. Nothing can do it...nothing...except..." The General closed his eyes again. "Nothing except for one thing, one fragment of my memory that dredged itself to the surface the day you emerged from the well. Nothing except..." He broke off.

"Maria," said Kagome quietly.

"Yes." The General took a long, deep breath. "I would use the Jewel to bring her back from her long sleep of death, so that I may once again feel her hand in mine, her body against me, her lips..." The General raised his hand to his mouth, as though he could still feel the kiss given to him millennia ago.

"However," the General began again, after a brief pause, "I dare not resurrect Maria while the boy lives."

"Why?" Kagome said, puzzled. "What would Tobias do?"

The General's eye twitched. "As you know, as the boy has undoubtedly told you repeatedly, it has been a bit of a purpose in my life to cause him pain, wherever he goes. This is why he is crippled with self-doubt, because he believes that whenever he grows close to someone, I will kill him or her. Most of the time, this has been true.

"If the boy, however, were given a chance to reciprocate, I have no doubt in my mind that he would take it. Were I to raise Maria while the boy was still alive, he would kill her himself, possibly torturing her as well, in an attempt to coax some anger, some weakness from me."

Kagome gasped. The General arched an eyebrow. "Do not look so surprised. The boy may basically be a good person, but you have seen firsthand that he is willing to kill to accomplish his aims. If that scenario as I described were to play out, I would kill him for his insolence..." The General took another deep breath. "But then the Jewel would be consumed, and Maria would be lost to me...forever."

He fell silent, and did not move. Kagome looked at him. The way he carried his body and face clearly showed no emotion, but this time, his eyes betrayed him. She could see the sadness he still felt over her death, and the anger he felt towards Tobias for being associated with her murderer.

This, then, was the reason the General so tormented Tobias over the centuries. Tobias was Marcus's brother. Marcus had killed Maria in cold blood. The General hated Marcus for taking his only love away from him, and had come to associate Tobias with Marcus after the older man's death. The General had irrationally blamed Tobias for Maria's death, and pursued him ruthlessly to make him pay for it. Probably the only irrational move the General ever made.

"Maria is lost to me now," said the General quietly. "I have come to accept that fact, and have concealed all emotion about it; so successfully that even my sword cannot detect it. She is dead. But..." He turned his head towards Kagome.

"Inuyasha, under normal circumstances, would not have been able to wound me so seriously. But my emotions had risen to the surface and left me weak. Those emotions were stirred by my memories...or something more than memories..." The General began to slowly advance on Kagome.

"You are the greatest resemblance, both in body and in mind, to Maria that I have ever seen. Every time I look at you now, I am reminded of her. And this causes more emotion to break my seal on it, which I simply cannot have." The General was right in front of Kagome. He lowered his head to look at her, face to face.

"There is only one way to stop this madness," he breathed. "I must...indulge myself, if you will. Give in once to temptation, and it will leave me for long enough to retrieve the genuine article."

Kagome began to fully grasp what the General meant, and it terrified her beyond words. She began backing away in a blind horror, but the General was far too fast. His hand reached behind her neck and gripped her in a 'sleeper' hold. Kagome struggled feebly, but fell unconscious.

.

Kagome came to and wished she hadn't.

For one thing, every article of clothing she wore was now gone. She was in a room she did not recognize, with glowing runes covering the walls; and she was lying on top of a bed.

Kagome tried to get up, but realized with horror that she couldn't. Her wrists and ankles were bound securely with rope to the bedposts. She couldn't move so much as an inch in any direction.

Her pulse increased, and her breathing became rapid as she panicked. As if on cue, the General walked into her line of sight. He was wearing nothing but a light robe.

"Why?" Kagome whispered, knowing what was to come.

"I already explained it to you. You bring out the weakness in me, Kagome, and that is something I cannot have." He paced around the bed, to near her head. "The ropes will not break, trying will only result in you dislocating something.

"This is a chamber of negative energy, where all abilities and supernatural powers – my sword, your miko abilities, a demon's unnatural strength and speed – are all suppressed. It is also sealed from the outside, with an enchantment of tremendous strength. Nobody may come inside unless I allow it, and I will not."

Silent tears slid down Kagome's face as the General removed his robe and tossed it aside. She couldn't escape, and nobody could come to rescue her. She realized, with an awful sense of finality, that all she could do was close her eyes...

...and wait for it to end.

.

(Story ends. It won't let me do the row of asterisks, so this is it. Story ends.)

Hides in bulletproof, bombproof, fangirlproof bunker Raises white flag and extends loudspeaker IF YOU KILL ME, I CAN'T FINISH THE STORY!!! Review.


	59. Dark Times

I'm back!!!

And I have a good reason. Final exams teachers hate me for some reason band practice for this big BIG thing we did last weekend big BIG thing we did last weekend = NO TIME FOR ANYTHING. It's all over now. I'm back and I will update more regularly, now. You have my assurances.

Umm...I had something to put here, but for the life of me I can't remember what it was. Oh, now I remember. Don't expect any cheeriness in the following chapters. Things, if that's possible, just go from bad (last chapter) to worse (this chapter). Sustain yourself with the knowledge that I hate and despise stories that end on a bad note.

Reviews!!! But first a note to all:

Many of you expressed the opinion that something would happen...that Inuyasha or someone would burst in and save her, or she would be pulled out of that situation somehow. I ask you: How would that happen? Just because I leave a cliffhanger doesn't mean it always has to fall to the side of good. Sometimes, people fall OFF of cliffs.

One last thing: Since FF.Net refuses to acknowledge the presence of asterisks, to separate subjects in my review responses, I will instead put a (Z). So if you see (Z), that means the same thing as an asterisk would have.

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Kai19: One can imagine WHY Kagome would be devastated...think about it for a second. (Z) His greatest fear is Kagome?? Umm...I'm not saying anything, but I'm interested to know how you got to that conclusion. (Z) If you were in Tobias's shoes, wouldn't YOU take any chance you could get to harm the General? I know I would...

Valdimarian: So have I, but it really doesn't matter right now. (Z) I don't understand...the Kaze no Kizu is using a demon's aura against him. (Z) So how can he do it without a demon's aura??? (Z) Yeah. A bit of a bad pun. (Z) A third option, you say? Time changes?! (clutches head) NOOOOOO...you know how much I hate time-altering storylines.

slvrstarlight: You know, it's things like that that make me hesitate to finish. I have a feeling that as soon as I type the words "The End", a katana will sink into my skull. (Z) Sorry about not updating...the explanation's up top. (Z) He will, will he? (grins)

Kegger007: The General is a cold, calculating son of a bitch. Would you rather I had a NICE villain? (Z) The General making Kagome pregnant? Nah, couldn't be. After all the times she slept with Inuyasha, is there any chance she ISN'T pregnant by him? (Z) Sesshomaru grabbing the General's sword? Maaaybe...not. (Z) Thanks. I need all the luck I can get.

RyoSanada1717: How will he save her, again? (Z) What price?! I have no money! I'm a starving student!

Ryguy5387: You're one of the few people who realized there's really no way out of that situation. (Z) Well, don't blame ME, blame the GENERAL. It's his fault. I didn't do it! (Z) Why...thank you.

Silver Warrior: He...might. That's all I'll say. He might die.

Mitsuki-kun: How will Inuyasha get there? He's hundreds of miles away! (Z) Email you descriptions? Why, I'll do that very thing! (Z) I noticed. Like I said, after I'm done I intend to go back and rewrite the entire thing, changing things where they so obviously suck. (Z) A prophecy is a prediction of the future, not a broadcast of fear. And maybe she IS crazy. Who's to say? (Z) Kagome didn't look around because she admired the view, you know. There's a method to her madness. (Z) That's the only real display of emotion he ever gives.

KillaBri: You pity him?! Well...I can see why someone would have that reaction... (Z) He requested an audience, but he never said he WOULDN'T do anything else... (Z) Think about it for a minute. Is Tobias really thinking logically at this point? Would you be? Revenge is all that concerns him.

japanime-01: It might happen. Yeah, that might happen too. Oh, that just might happen. Notice a pattern here? (Z) His name...?

Celestra: Evil?! EEEEEEEEEEVIL!!! (Inside joke.) (Z) PEACHES?! She knows my weakness! (Z) Was it really much of a decision? The General can beat Tobias on his own... (Z) She shows up again, and exhibits even more quirkiness. (Z) I don't. I hate time-changing plotlines.

Mechant Guy: Is there really anything anyone can do to prevent it, right about now?

kohmaru (just in case you get to here, this is the review response from chapter 24): The idea was that to most people, it would be gibberish; but to a select few (like you) it would mean something. The actual meaning of the words has no effect on the spell or the story as a whole. It just sounded better than "soigseuldsiufys" would have, for example.

Chi Master: You misunderstand. The summoning thing that the Seer mentioned and the resurrection of Maria are two entirely different things...oops, I say too much.

Jeanne-chan56: I would. (ducks) (Z) NO! POINTY DOOM! (Z) Too many fanfictions where that happens? I've never seen one... (Z) Join you? DON'T MIND IF I DO!!!

Queen of Roses: Stupid FF.Net's "Quick Update" won't recognize asterisks. Which sucks the big time. (Z) No, I get the joke. (Did she buy it?)

Rushyuo: They're way the hell far away. What can they do?

lordkagome: This is as quickly as I can.

hersheykiss1012: I know. It makes me hesitate to finish...ALMOST. I like suspense. I use it all the time. OR DO I?? Dum dum dum...

Kodachi Claws: They're anime characters! They can stand sexual exhaustion that would kill us mortals. (Z) I hate stories with crappy endings. Just think of that. (Z) You're not asking me to tell you? Fantastic. Everyone ALWAYS asks.

Sieg1308: Will try harder in the future.

The Foxen: You'll never get me! (Barricades self into bunker) You ARE good at annoying people, I'll say that much. But thanks for finally switching from Gray to Gary.

Lunar InuYasha: It'll come soon enough. In about half a page, I'd say.

megu-sama: Will do.

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**S-S-S-S-STORY TIME!!!**

**................................................................................................................................................**

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Chapter 59: Dark Times

The Seer blinked.

She arose from her meditation seat and cocked her head, as if thinking about something. She walked out the door, muttering to herself.

Yumi was instantly at the doorframe. "Is something wrong, Milady?"

"Yeah, actually..." The Seer frowned. "It's him."

"Him...who?"

"You know, the General him. That muscle-guy with the sword who stopped by last night and all," said the Seer. She sounded slightly upset about something.

"What about him?" Yumi asked, a little confused.

"Yumi, I've just Seen, and it isn't good. That mean ol' guy has just committed one of the blackest of black acts." She glanced upward into Yumi's eyes. "He defiled a miko."

Yumi gasped in horror and took a step back. "You mean...he..._Kagome??_" The Seer nodded gravely. Yumi collapsed backwards into her chair in despair.

"Yeah, the guy's a jerk. Still, it was nice to see him all broken up about his prophecy when he left. I think I put a scare into him."

"I never asked..." murmured Yumi. "What did you tell him?"

"I told what I Saw. He was going to lose, and big time, at the hands of his greatest fear." The Seer shrugged. "He didn't seem to happy to hear that, not at all. I don't think he's ever considered the possibility that he COULD be defeated, before."

"Wait..." Yumi's brow wrinkled. "Didn't you tell Kagome...that they were all going to die?"

"Yep. Which confused me for a while, too." The Seer walked over and picked up a voodoo doll, stared at it for a second, then tossed it over her shoulder. "Until I realized the truth: Both of those prophecies are true."

Yumi thought about this for a second.

"How?" she finally said.

"Oh, how am I supposed to know?" said the Seer in frustration, throwing her arms up in the air. "I may have the Sight, but I don't know everything. Still," she added in a calmer voice, "I'm not too worried about the whole thing. That rotten fellow's gonna do some damage, but I know it'll all work out in the end. That much I do know. How it's gonna work is as yet a mystery."

"I'm glad..." mumbled Yumi. "He defiled Kagome...how could he? How _could_ he?? Didn't Tobias or her mate do anything to stop him?"

"They tried..." said the Seer absentmindedly. She was now examining a snow globe. "But he stomped all over them. Not only is the guy a cold-hearted bastard, he's also the toughest in the land. A bad combination for everyone who's just trying to scrape through life." She tossed aside the globe carelessly, but not so carelessly that it didn't land on something soft.

"I'm just...a little shocked by the whole thing," Yumi admitted. "I didn't know anyone could _be_ that evil."

The Seer snorted. "Never underestimate just how evil humans can be, Yumi." She glanced around, but was out of odd objects to examine. "Oh, well," she said in a cheerier voice. "No sense getting all worked up about it. Kagome'll be fine eventually, and moping about won't solve a thing." And with that, she walked right back into her room and shut the door.

.

The General stood up. He inhaled deeply, then let out a long sigh.

"I needed that," he said quietly. Walking over to a closet, he opened the door to reveal his clothes and armor. He reached for them, then paused.

"Oh, yes..." The General walked over and picked up his sword, which was in a stand on the wall. With four deft motions, he cut the bonds holding Kagome.

She curled up into a ball and tried to hide from him, tears of shame and anger coursing down her face. He paid her no attention as he got dressed.

Kagome's fists clenched as she silently raged against the General. She hadn't thought it was possible, but he made it worse beyond the entire premise. If he had slapped her, struck her, pummeled her into submission, _made it hurt_, that would be one thing...

...but he hadn't. The bastard had been _gentle_. And no matter how she tried to deny it, or ignore it...she had _enjoyed it_. She hated it, she hated him, she screamed and shouted and tried to get away; but her body betrayed her over and over again. Kagome sniffled as she tried to blot it from her mind.

Her own body had betrayed her, defying her efforts to not think about it, to ignore it, to _not feel it_. And the General knew. And in her opinion, that was the worst thing he could have done.

The General was dressed now. He picked up Kagome's bundle of clothes and laid them on the bed. In an infuriating show of modesty, he turned around and did not look while she dressed. As soon as her clothes were back on her, he turned back to her.

"Come," he said in his regular monotone. He walked to a heavy iron door and, straining, forced it open.

As soon as he took a step outside of the room...he seemed to change. His physical appearance was not altered a bit; but he stood up just a little straighter, his muscles seemed to bulge, he blinked and held his head high.

"Yes..." he muttered. "I despise that room. I do not feel safe until my power returns to me." Kagome walked unsteadily out of the room. The General snapped his fingers, and instantly a demon was at his side.

"Yes, General?" rasped the demon.

"Make sure she does not go anywhere. I must retrieve something before I return her." The General began walking down the corridor. The demon glanced in Kagome's direction.

He looked into her eyes, and nearly recoiled at what he saw. Grief, pain, anger, beyond anything he had ever seen before. Simply at his look, Kagome turned away and sank to the ground, back against the wall. It turned away, not at all sure it liked what it saw.

"Sir?" called the demon, uncertainly.

"What is it, Lieutenant?" said the General, not stopping.

"Permission to speak freely, sir," said the demon quickly.

"Granted. What is it?"

"What did you do to her?" it blurted. The General stopped walking, and the demon knew at once that he had made a mistake. The General slowly turned around and stared down the demon.

"That is none of your concern, Lieutenant," he said, with a hint of anger in his voice. "I did as I must. That is all you need to know."

"Yes...sir." The demon glanced in Kagome's direction one more time, but other than that, stood at attention and acted as if she were not there.

A minute or so later, the General came walking back with a small pouch in his hands. The demon scampered away as soon as he saw the General approach. Kagome had not moved from the wall she was sitting against.

The General opened the pouch and took out a pinch of sparkling dust. He cast it into the air, and it landed on Kagome. She started coughing, waving her hands in front of her face to get it away from her.

"What is that?" she finally choked out.

"This is something that is extremely useful if you are being pursued by a creature that tracks with scent," said the General. "One sprinkling of it eliminates any scent on a creature for several hours. It will come back, eventually, you produce scent naturally; but this will at least keep Inuyasha from knowing of this incident."

The General glanced at Kagome. "Why, you may ask, am I doing this? Because I would prefer it if Inuyasha did not know of our...rendezvous." _...Yet,_ he thought silently. "I therefore leave it to you, Kagome, to decide whether or not you should tell him of this." He tucked the pouch into his pocket and moved toward her, but paused.

"But before you make that decision...be aware of Inuyasha's likely reaction, were he to find out." Kagome didn't need the General to tell her what would happen. She knew from the second he said it.

He would go berserk. He would rush off to fight the General on his own, and he would quite likely die in the process. And Inuyasha's death was something Kagome just could not accept.

The General took Kagome's hand, and they both started to glow blue.

"I mentioned that the boy would kill Maria, were she to be raised..." said the General quietly as the effect was beginning. "I have no doubt in my mind that Inuyasha would do the same, given half the chance." They vanished.

.

Sesshomaru stood in his war room, leaning over the table to get a better view of the large map he was poring over. He was muttering to himself.

Jaken hobbled to the door, clutching his staff. "Master Sesshomaru, sir. The general is here to see you."

"The General!" Sesshomaru recoiled as if he'd been punched. He took a step back, and his claws instinctively began to drip with poison. The now terrified demon took _several_ steps back.

"Y-yes, sir...Ge-General Hanaki, at your request..._please don't kill me_..." Sesshomaru relaxed.

"Bring him in." The toad scuttled away; moments later, another demon walked in. But they were very different. This new demon held himself high, about a foot taller than Sesshomaru. In a stark contrast to Sesshomaru's almost slim form, he was huge, bulging with muscle. His mane and large fangs and paws marked him as a lion demon, and he was in full battle dress, with medals of stone and wood hanging from his kimono.

"Yes, my lord?" he growled.

"General Hanaki." Sesshomaru folded the map he was reading and stood up fully. "I have called you here to discuss some matters of great importance. Our coming war with the forces of the General _cannot_ be a failure. The man is far too powerful to be allowed to roam unchecked."

"I understand, my lord," rumbled Hanaki. "Failure is not an option. I will carry out your orders."

"That is the main reason I called you, actually..." said Sesshomaru slowly. "Our battle will not be terribly difficult to win, given adequate land and weather conditions." He looked out a large window. "Our forces outnumber his almost five to one. The most brilliant military strategist would be hard-pressed to come up with tactics that will win an open conflict of those proportions."

"Yes, my lord..." growled Hanaki, a little puzzled as to what Sesshomaru was leading up to.

"I have maintained these lands for many years, and you have served at my side for nearly all of them. You are the finest military leader I have ever met, and you have not failed me once since you assumed command of your first campaign."

"Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru," said Hanaki. He went to one knee.

"It is because of this that the following events will fall in place as they shall." Sesshomaru turned around and looked straight into Hanaki's eyes. "General Hanaki, I hereby promote you to commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the Western Lands."

Hanaki's eyes opened wide; he lurched backwards in shock. "But..." he said, grasping for words, "my lord...such an honor...that is _your_ rank!"

"I know." Sesshomaru walked slowly over to the table. He picked up a large golden medal, went over to Hanaki, and pinned it on his kimono.

"I must do this, Hanaki," he said quietly. "I must leave the Western Lands." Hanaki's eyes opened still wider in shock. "I have no choice. As long as I remain here, I leave the entire territory hopelessly vulnerable to attack. You must stay and coordinate the offensive...I have things to do." And without another word, Sesshomaru swept past Hanaki and out the door.

.

The General reappeared in the forest, with Kagome at his side. As soon as he let go of her, she broke away from him, turning from him, not wanting to see him. The General looked to the treetops, apparently ignoring Kagome.

"I know you can hear me, Inuyasha," he said. He spoke in his normal voice, but from the first word a great roar arose from the distant forest. The General was unperturbed. "Kagome is here. By the time you get to her, however, I will not be here." As he spoke, he began to glow blue again.

There was a great crashing in the underbrush. Leaves and branches went flying into the air as a great disturbance tore up the forest in front of them. The General vanished.

A tenth of a second later, Inuyasha burst in through the trees and immediately rushed to Kagome. He hugged her tightly to him; but to his great surprise, she shrieked and wriggled free.

"It's not you..." she stuttered, backing away, "it's just...I need some time alone." She ran off.

Inuyasha was still standing in the same place, completely thrown by this new attitude. He decided that whatever it was, he sure as hell didn't like it. _What did that fucking bastard do to her??_ he thought grimly. He leaped into the air and ran in pursuit. He closed in on Kagome very quickly...

"SIT!" Cursing, Inuyasha plummeted into the hard forest floor as Kagome ran back to camp. Scrabbling at the earth in an attempt to get up again, Inuyasha unconsciously growled as possible scenarios ran through his head of what the General had done.

Kagome ran as fast as she could, hating herself for everything she had done, thinking desperately. _I can't tell Inuyasha...I can't...but I need to tell someone. Someone who will understand..._

Kagome burst through the trees into camp, looking quite disheveled. Tobias was leaning against a tree, smoking a cigarette. Miroku was pacing, and Sango was staring into the embers of the burned-out fire. All three looked in Kagome's direction as she rushed in.

"Tobias," she said, panting. "I need to talk to you, in private." Everyone looked at Kagome questioningly, but Tobias shrugged very slightly and gestured for Kagome to come with him.

About two seconds later, Inuyasha ran into camp.

"Okay, spit it out, Kagome. What the fuck is going on here? Why are you going off alone with _him?_" he spat savagely, pointing at Tobias. He made a move to come closer.

"**SIT!!!**" Inuyasha slammed back into the floor, so hard he left an Inuyasha-shaped crater. He groaned in frustration as Kagome walked out of camp with Tobias.

.

Tobias found a clearing and walked Kagome into the middle of it. He turned to her, with a very puzzled look on his face.

"What happened back there, Kagome? Why are you sitting Inuyasha? Usually he comforts you when things are bad..."

Kagome looked away. "I know. It's nothing he did. It's just..." She gestured helplessly as she tried to convey her thoughts. "The General took me away, you know that. He talked to me about a few things...what he really wanted to use the Jewel for...and then..."

"Then what? What did he do?" Tobias was becoming increasingly agitated.

"He...oh gods, Tobias...he..." Kagome started to cry weakly. "He...took me..." She reflexively crossed her palm between her legs as the memory raced through her. Comprehension dawned, agonizingly slowly, in Tobias's mind. His eyes widened, and he took a slight step back.

"You mean...?" he whispered. She nodded faintly. "No..." Tobias began to shake.

"_NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!_" Tobias roared, a sound of pain and anguish that echoed through the forest like the eruption of a great volcano. His sword blazed with a sudden fire, and flames roared up around him, burning with terrible intensity. The blast of heat threw Kagome off-balance, and she landed on her back in front of him.

As quickly as the fire had come, it was gone. Tobias slumped forward onto his knees, and his head fell. "Go, Kagome," he muttered. Kagome sniffled, raising herself onto her elbows. "Just...go. Go back to Inuyasha."

"Tobias...?" Kagome started to speak, but Tobias cut her off.

"Just go! ... I can't help you, Kagome..." He drew in a great shuddering breath. "Go to Inuyasha. He can help you. All I can do...all I can do is bring pain. Go...leave me."

Kagome stood up and backed slowly away from Tobias's slumping form. "Just go," she heard him whisper. She turned and left.

Tobias did not move from his posture. _All I can do is bring her pain...that's all I've ever been able to do..._ His eyes grew wet with unshed tears. _It's my fault she was raped, it's my fault Inuyasha was hurt, it's my fault all of this happened in the first place..._

_._

The General came into the alchemy, where the witch was mixing out some roots for a potion. He reached into a pocket of his clothes.

"You said you needed these," he said, taking out the small bag of Shikon shards and throwing them carelessly on the table. Without another word he walked out.

The General walked into his private room. He closed the door and locked it.

_I must focus my power; that is what the witch said. _The General unsheathed his sword. _I must let my power flow through me...I must visualize what it is I wish._ His sword began to glow blue, dimly.

_I must concentrate._ The temperature in the room began to fall. Small ice crystals began to form on the walls and ceiling. The General did not appear to notice. _I must concentrate!_ he thought again, more fiercely. His sword glowed brighter. Ice began to creep over the table and chairs.

_I must focus..._ The temperature was sub-Arctic, now. Sheets of glittering ice rushed over every surface, covering everything with a shining coat of blue. The entire room was iced over.

_I MUST CONCENTRATE!_ All the ice leaped from the room and to the sword's tip. A glowing point of energy, shining brightly, appeared there. The General brushed aside the clothes covering his missing right arm, to reveal the hole therein. Quick as a flash, he moved the tip of his sword to the stump.

It flashed even brighter than before, if that was possible, and stayed in the center of his wound. The General's eyes opened wide with pain. _The witch never said it would hurt so much..._ He grimaced in pain, and bent over.

A snarl of pain escaped his lips, and he fell to his knees, clutching at the wound in his shoulder. The General never felt the cold, due to his power. But this...this was something entirely strange. It was as if his missing arm were there, he _felt_ it, he felt a sensation so bitterly cold it burned him, all down the length of his nonexistent arm. The pain increased even further, and the energy glowed even brighter.

.

The witch, measuring out strange substances in the other room, heard a roar of agony coming from the General's room.

"I knew he'd do just as he was told..." she cackled. "Amazingly brilliant in some ways, completely stupid in others." She leaped from the table and snatched up the bag of Shikon shards.

"I won't be seeing you again, General," she laughed, as she vanished.

.

Tobias lay awake, as he did nearly every night. He grumbled, then got up from his sleeping bag and sat down on a log in the middle of the camp.

He utterly could not – _could not_ – forgive himself for what he had allowed to happen to Kagome. _It's my fault,_ he thought slowly. _All of it...all their pain...it's my fault._

(Flashback)

The General stood in the courtyard outside of a once-proud castle, which was now utterly destroyed by furious battle. He was bleeding heavily and was covered in burns, but he was nothing next to the boy next to him. Tobias lay face-up in the scorched grass. He was covered in blood. He still clutched his sword tightly in one hand, but could barely muster the strength to draw breath. The General leaned upon his sword, which glittered blue in the fading daylight.

"You're pathetic, boy," he muttered in his pronounced British accent. There was, for once, emotion in his words. "You got lucky today, but you know I'll always be the stronger one." He shifted uncomfortably. "I'm not gonna kill you now, boy. I want you to suffer." He spat at Tobias. "When I find you again, you just remember that I'm gonna kill you in as slowly and painfully a way as I can think of." Tobias remained silent. He didn't have the energy to speak.

"All those years, in your miserable father's court, waiting for the old fool to die so I could take over...I've had plenty of time to think of ways to kill you. Don't you worry." He painfully stood up, and began limping away. "Remember that, boy," he called out as he slowly walked away.

(End flashback)

Tobias reflected on this memory. 'As slowly and painfully a way as I can think of', his brain screamed over and over again.

"As slowly and painfully a way as I can think of," he muttered. "I'm not going to wait around for that." Tobias pulled his sword out of its scabbard and laid it on the ground. He reached into his pack and slowly drew out a pistol.

(Flashback)

"...if I don't have my sword on me, I'm powerless. The strength, the speed, the healing, gone. I become a regular human."

(End flashback)

He lifted the gun to his head. He pulled the hammer back with a loud click. "I'm sorry, Father," he whispered. "I'm sorry...Marcus."

Kagome started at the noise. Despite everything, she had finally managed to fall asleep in Inuyasha's arms. At first she had resisted; Inuyasha's touch brought up horrible memories of the General; but there was one thing that had finally won her over. One thing that Inuyasha had that the General did not have, that he _could_ not have.

Love.

Inuyasha loved her more than anything else on the planet. When the General touched her, it was utterly emotionless; cold, without any feeling to it. He saw her as a useful instrument, there only to serve a practical purpose: the fulfillment of the General's sexual tension.

Inuyasha touched her because he loved her, because he wanted to hold her and protect her, because he _wanted_ to bring her pleasure, because he _wanted_ her to love him. Little by little, Kagome's resistance ebbed, as she drew herself into Inuyasha's embrace. He loved her, and that was all there was to it.

A click brought her out of her thoughts. Tobias was sitting on a log, holding something to his head. The darkness made it impossible to tell what it was, but then the moonlight glinted off of it. She gasped. It was a gun!

"_TOBIAS!!_" she shrieked.

**BANG!**

**.**

**................................................................................................................................................**

...Well. That's not good. Review.


	60. Oh, This Just Plain Sucks

Hi, all! I'm back, after two long weeks. Finals = DEATH, DOOM, DESPAIR, DO YOU PERCHANCE HAVE A NEEDLE FULL OF STRYCHNINE? They're over, and they've BEEN over, and my summer lounging has begun.

Unfortunately, it has brought with it a whole NEW kind of laziness. I play some games, watch some TV, think "Oh, the story can wait." Problem. I'll have to force myself, I will.

I always feel like there's something I should mention here, then I forget. OH YES, now I remember.

One of my dear reviewers, Kegger007, was inspired by my work. Kegger churned out a spinoff of the ending bit of last chapter, entitled "Mad World". It is a very, very fine piece of literature, and I'm proud to say you can read it here, at unexpected side effect of me reading this is that I spent the last week revamping my writing style, picking up cues from Kegger. Many thanks, Kegger!

Oh, and one last thing about it. Kegger had no way of knowing...but the ending of that bit and the ending of last chapter don't work out the same way. Not really spoilers, because you'll read what happens in the first two paragraphs of this new chappie.

One last, last thing. People seemed to get upset about the ending of last chapter...some EXTREMELY upset over email and such. To some I sent out apologies and even briefly changed the ending to resolve what was, I realize, a horrible cliffhanger.

Ten seconds after I did this, I checked my email and found someone saying (this is a quote) "Oh, well, you didn't need to do THAT, it was so blatantly obvious that blah blah blah." Well, the blahs aren't part of the quote, but you get the idea.

So now I have people getting upset over unresolved cliffies, and I have other people getting upset over RESOLVED cliffies, and I have OTHER people forcing me to change my entire writing style. Damn everything. 

So. Anyway. Reviews!!!

Kai19: That damn summer schedule getting you down, eh? Review whenever you have the time.

Kitsy: Then you'll never know what happens next!

CTP Inuyasha Fan: I understand. I wouldn't want to review every chapter of a story as massive as mine! I'm glad you like it...keep reading and reviewing!

Kegger007: First, THANKS FOR THE ADD-ON! Next...Of COURSE the General got away with it. The circumstances as they were, was there any way that he wouldn't have? ... The Seer is odd like that. ... I based Tobias's angst off of the gothy people who hang around near where I live. Partly, anyhow. None of them has had their kingdom destroyed. ... It's going to be fairly dark for the next good bit. Prepare thyself.

Thief of Baghdad: It will. I hate rotten-ending stories. I'll try...

slvrstarlight: I just pile on the cliffies. This one...heh heh...KIND of ends in a cliffy, but nothing too serious. Not like the last two. ... There is clever trickery afoot, that may surpass even Inuyasha! Of course, like you said, Inuyasha's not that hard to fool. ... He might. He might just. He might even win. Who's to say?

lordkagome: Eh heh...calm thyself. It'll all work out eventually.

Sieg1308: Will do. Will at least try...

Rushyuo: Read ahead and see. And I AM updating! Right now this second!

cinnamin girl: ...Of course.

Lunar Inuyasha: Well, not the WORST, I...eh...(reads) Well, whaddaya know. It really IS the worst cliffie. Oh well. ... Self-esteem is not one of his big qualities, you know what I'm saying?

Ryguy5387: You think so? Jeez...what was it about it that made it that good? I need to know these things! ... There's another cliffhanger this chapter...and probably another one after that. But neither of them are anywhere near as serious as the last two.

Mechant Guy: **BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA**

hersheykiss1012: That's all run through in this chapter. Don't worry about it...

BryLiz: He's irrational. People get like that when everything they love goes all to pieces. ... That's discussed in this chapter...I've thought of that, you see. Retroactively, of course. Hindsight is a bastard. ... Who's to say? Read the story. Specifically, the first two paragraphs of this chappie.

Jeanne-chan56: ...I'm not sure I can adequately respond to that much computer-generated emotion, but here goes: --v

Chi Master: Whaddayamean, PARTIALLY interesting? I slave over a hot computer for you people...grumble grumble. ... I'm planning on writing another story, you know. Don't say aloha and farewell just yet.

japanime-01: Yeah. Yeah, probably the worst. I've read up on the rest of it.

Celestra: You think that it's possible to be even more traumatized than she is?? I'd like to see that...actually, come to think of it, I'd do pretty much anything to AVOID seeing that. ... The fact that the General HASN'T killed Tobias does little to change the fact that Tobias thinks he WILL. ... Gratifying or no, I'm not going to get into that. It's just too messy. ... I say to you (to the third person I've said this to) that it'll be resolved in the chapter ahead. Read about it.

Cloud1900: That's not so much MY progression as THEIR progression. Though it could be argued that as fictional characters they reflect my personality, but then we get into the inverse of that and blah blah blah frickin' BLAH. Keep reading, it isn't done yet!

Story.

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Chapter 60: Oh, This Just Plain Sucks

The noise yanked everyone from their sleep. Inuyasha was up in an instant, Tetsusaiga at the ready. Miroku and Sango were likewise on their feet, surprised by the incredible noise. All eyes were riveted on Tobias.

Tobias stood, shaking but unhurt. Kagome's yell had startled him so much that his aim was spoiled, the bullet going off harmlessly into the trees. His hand, holding the gun, shook slightly. He looked at the gun in his hand, glaring at it, as if it was responsible for all his pain.

(We interrupt this story for a special news bulletin: For all those who got worked up about the cliffhanger, was this result really that surprising? Do you think I'm going to kill off MY CHARACTER before the fic even ends? Before the dadgum final battle? Give me some credit here! Sheesh!)

Tobias turned slowly to face them. He was breathing very hard, and his eyes were wide. The look on Inuyasha's face changed slowly from shock to wonder. Kagome was trembling in Inuyasha's arms, terrified over what had almost just happened.

But that look in their eyes...Tobias saw it in all of them. He saw the questions, the fear, the panic...His eyes widened imperceptibly. _I've seen that look before...too many times..._

_The General came bursting through the wooden roof of the cottage like it wasn't even there. Before he had even hit the ground, his long sword lashed out and caught Tobias full in the throat. Choking on his own blood, Tobias collapsed to the floor._

_His family rushed in from the other room, only to stop in shock._

_"Daddy, what happened?" said his three-year old son, Hans, his young face contorted in fear._

_"God, Tobias, who is this? What did he do to you?" whispered his wife. She held her crying baby daughter closer to her as the General looked over them all with a disdainful eye._

_And from the floor, unable to breathe, vision darkening, Tobias saw it. That same look in their eyes, that he had seen a hundred times before._

_Terror. Confusion. Shock._

_Every time he saw this look, he prayed that time would be the last._

_But it never was._

_He closed his eyes, sick at heart, knowing what was to follow. Silent tears coursed from his eyes as the screams of pain and the splashing of blood echoed through the narrow hallway._

_After an eternity, the last death rattle finally faded away. The clunk of the General's greaves on the wooden floor alerted Tobias that he was coming closer._

Let him come,_ thought Tobias. _Maybe this will be the time...when he will finally end my pain.__

_"I have something for you, boy," he said. Kneeling down, he carefully placed a large object on the floor next to Tobias's head. It made a slight squishing sound as it came down. "Let that comfort you in my absence," the General remarked as he walked away. Tobias heard the heavy wooden door open and slam shut, a few snowflakes landing on his face, mingling with his blood._

_Almost against his will, Tobias's eyes fluttered open._

_The severed head of his wife, who he loved, was staring him in the face. And that same look would be frozen into her unblinking gaze forever...and ever...and ever..._

_But this is different..._ thought Tobias, shaking. _The General caused that. The General brought everyone I loved so much agony. But this...the General had no part in this. He did nothing..._

_I caused this._

_It's my fault._

_I brought them this anguish._

_._

"I can't stay here..." breathed Tobias. "I can't bring you any more pain." He whirled away from them and grabbed his gun, stowing it in his pocket. He ran forward and snatched up his sword, hurriedly sheathing it. With one last pause and backwards glance, he was gone.

"Tobias!" shouted Inuyasha. There was no response.

"Tobias!" called Kagome. No answer. Inuyasha turned to Kagome.

"What the hell just happened? Was that thing a...what's it called...a gun?" Kagome didn't answer. She stared into the trees, into the darkness where Tobias had disappeared.

.

The General lay on his bead, his face slick with cold sweat, his eyes half-open. He grimaced as another shot of pain ran through him. The pulse of light in his wound filled the room with its brilliance.

_Was all this truly worth it??_ he wondered, dizzy and sick from the agony. Pain, to him, was nothing particularly special; he experienced it every time he and the boy locked swords. For such a warrior as him, pain was a way of life.

But this...every pulse of the light seemed to send white-hot iron filings streaming through every nerve ending in his body. Clenching his teeth and taking deep breaths did nothing to help the pain; indeed, it only intensified the situation, drawing more of his attention to it. _Nothing has even happened yet...will this even work?_

It had all seemed so simple: he needed a new arm, and the witch had been able to help him in that endeavor. The witch seemed to have an answer for everything. She knew latitudes of mental discipline that made him look like a five-year-old boy. She _had_ to; casting mind-bending spells as she did would shatter any lesser mind.

He had seen firsthand what had happened when a careless demon had pilfered her store of spellbooks. The poor creature had tried to make himself invisible so he could steal food from the kitchens.

The General had arrived on the scene just in time to see the magical runes vanish, along with most of the demon's sanity. It howled and gibbered and clutched at its head, wailing about shadowy shapes and dangerous creatures of the abyss. It took three other demons to restrain him enough so that he could be transported.

_The witch shook her head disapprovingly as she surveyed the damage. The General stood impassively by, awaiting the verdict. "There's no hope for this one, General," she clucked. "He's seen things he was never meant to see."_

_The General picked up the babbling demon, dragging him down the corridors into the common room. He hurled the unfortunate creature into the midst of off-duty guards talking or playing games of dice._

_"This one has run his course," he said, clipped and efficient. "Your rations are hereby supplemented. You can thank him later." The General turned away from the predatory growls that suddenly filled the room, as all the demons rose as one to devour the hapless creature._

_Magic is never easy,_ thought the General hazily through yet another stab of pain. _But this is beyond anything I have ever experienced._ His train of thought was scattered to the wind by a fresh burst of agony. _Something had better happen..._

But that second, something happened.

With a feeling like he was ripping his very arm from its socket, the light burst forth into a shapeless mass extending from his shoulder. The light writhed and twisted, slowly coalescing, and formed itself into a new shape...

The General panted for a few seconds, trying to regain his strength. With one last deep breath, he sat up. The pain was gone. Instinctively, he tried to bring his right arm to his forehead-

-and to his surprise, it did. He felt a cold hand on his brow. Lowering it to his face, he saw his arm – and yet, not his arm. It was not flesh or blood, it was...ice.

Glancing down the length of his new appendage, he saw that his arm had been faithfully recreated, with smooth ice forming every bulge of every muscle and all the contours of his skin. He raised his hand before him again, moving the fingers about like they were some new toy.

Suddenly, the General's arm whipped out and seized a chair. He hurled it against the stone wall, and it smashed into a thousand splinters. The iron-shod tips of its legs clattered to the ground. The General picked up one of the tips in his new hand, trembling very slightly, and crushed it in his palm.

Standing up and sheathing his sword – businesslike, as if he had always been this way – he opened the door to his room and walked down the corridor to the alchemy.

"You were right," he said as he walked in the door. "That worked perfec-" He glanced around. The witch was gone...as was the bag of Shikon shards.

The General simply stood, surveying the room, as if trying to find the witch hiding under some table. His new hand curled into a fist, the ice making horrible scraping noises as it ground against itself.

And with that, the General swept out of the room.

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The group sat in front of the fire, none of them really wanting to get back to sleep. All of them except for Kagome were wondering what the bloody hell just happened. Inuyasha in particular had tried to leap out and track Tobias by his scent; but was dismayed to notice that in his great leaps he touched down so infrequently that his scent was barely there, and certainly not enough to track by. So he had returned to the camp, disappointed, and returned to Kagome.

She sat, held by him and holding him, not really paying attention to the outside world. Gods, why did this all have to happen to _them??_ It was as if everything bad in her life was gearing up to hit their formerly happy little group, all at once. First, all her friends were going to die; then she got raped by the General, then Tobias nearly killed himself and ran off!

And the worst of it was, she had nobody to blame for the last one but herself. _Why, why, why,_ she asked; cursing herself again and again for that terrible decision; WHY had she gone to Tobias?? She wasn't thinking rationally, that was true, and perhaps in her haste connected "The General" with "Tobias" and thought he would be able to handle it best.

But he was the _absolutely worst _person to tell! Hadn't he been depressed enough lately by the General's work? Couldn't she see the agony reflected in his eyes every time she glanced towards him? Had she been so blind as to miss the turmoil wracking his body?

Inuyasha obviously never noticed. Inuyasha never noticed anyone's problems except for his own and Kagome's. To Tobias's anguish he turned a blind eye, calling him a coward, mocking his fear. He refused to understand Tobias's problems, retreating behind his veil of gruffness and indifference. Why hadn't she sat him halfway to hell for his cruel remarks?

_Why didn't I go to Sango??_ The thought struck so fiercely she reared up in her seat, Inuyasha giving a surprised yelp. Sango would have been the best person to talk to. After spending so many years in each others' presence, the two had become like sisters. They shared everything, from laughing stories to personal tragedies.

When Inuyasha ran off to Kikyo, Kagome would fall into Sango's arms and weep, every time fearing he would never return. Sango always managed to find words to calm Kagome down, to at least bring her back to reality. They always managed to talk things out when circumstances were bad. She would have been the perfect person to relate her tragic tale to.

Hell, even Miroku could have at least offered some words of comfort. As perverted and shady as he could be, he was very wise and knew things that most men twice his age would never have thought of.

_Why didn't I think about it, even for a second??_ She double-damned herself for not considering what to say, or who to say it to; just immediately and blindly to the one person who had the most to lose if he knew.

Inuyasha felt her stir beside him. Goddammit, this had been plaguing him for long enough. He _had_ to know what the General did, and she was _going_ to tell him, no matter what the _fuck_ she wanted to do in the meantime.

"Kagome," he said softly. Kagome blinked and looked up at him. "You gotta tell me, Kagome..." said Inuyasha, keeping his voice carefully soft and calm. "What did he do to you?"

Just as Inuyasha feared, Kagome immediately looked away and fell silent. "Kagome," he said again, with a bit more anger in his voice. "Tell me!" She tried to twist away from him. Dammit, was he going to let his mate keep secrets from him?!

Inuyasha grabbed Kagome suddenly and leaped to his feet. With a bound, he cleared the campsite (leaving behind a very surprised Miroku, Sango, and Shippo) and landed in a nearby clearing. Inuyasha grabbed Kagome fiercely and slammed her down on the ground; not hard enough to hurt, but enough to get her attention. He loomed over her as he held her down.

"Just try and sit me now, mate," he hissed. Kagome, who was about to say the word, pursed her lips and tried to turn away from him.

"Dammit, Kagome! What did that little shit do? Answer me!" roared Inuyasha, shaking her slightly. He bared his teeth. "What did he do to you? Did he hurt you? Threaten you? Touch you? What the fuck did he do?!"

Kagome was about to try and wrench herself away again, but something he said gave her an idea. _Threaten you?..._ "I..." Kagome began, then swallowed a lump in her throat. She never really could lie to Inuyasha, even less so once they became mates, but what choice did she have?

"What??" Inuyasha growled. He pressed his body onto hers, holding her completely immobile and helpless on the ground. Kagome swallowed again, then shuddered. Despite the dire situation they were in...she couldn't help but notice her arousal was growing at the feel of Inuyasha holding her down. Fortunately, Inuyasha seemed too preoccupied to notice.

"He threatened me," Kagome said suddenly. "He threatened me and said that if I didn't tell him where the last shard was, he'd kill me and you and Tobias and everyone." She said this all very fast, as if she was trying to get it over with quickly.

To Kagome's great surprise, Inuyasha's grimace dissolved into a grin.

"Is that it?" he said, almost in a friendly matter. Kagome opened her mouth, quite shocked, but could think of no words that fit the situation. "Kagome, is that why you're getting all upset? That's nothing."

"What do you mean...that's _nothing??_" Kagome squeaked out.

"I mean he's wanted to kill us all from the day we met him, this doesn't change anything!" Inuyasha was almost laughing with relief. "Besides, we can beat him. We _are_ going to find Tobias, and I'll _drag_ him to the General and _force_ him to fight, if I have to pick up his damn sword and fight for him. Don't worry about _that_." Kagome managed a weak chuckle.

Inuyasha laughed as he reflexively sniffed the air around him. Suddenly, his grin of relief vanished like it had been wiped off with a damp rag. Kagome was alarmed for a second, but the grin had gone only to be replaced with another grin that...if Kagome hadn't known better, she'd say it was..._predatory_.

"Kagome..." Inuyasha said, almost...conversationally, "There's something...different about you." He moved against her body, and Kagome felt something pressing against her inner thigh. _Is that Tetsusaiga's hilt?_ she wondered, then realized fully what it was and blushed.

"I can smell it on you, mate," he went on, his voice dropping an octave. "You're wet for me." He nipped at her neck, and Kagome let out a small whimper. She ever so slightly rocked her hips against his, and his hold on her tightened, if that was possible.

"I-Inuyasha!" stuttered Kagome. "You mean – Now, in the middle of-" Inuyasha gently put a finger to her lips, holding her down with his forearm.

"Shh, don't worry about it...Forget the General and forget Tobias and forget everything, they can take care of themselves for half an hour." He ground his hips into hers forcefully, and Kagome moaned aloud, repeating his action.

Inuyasha's claw reached down, and almost noiselessly sliced through every layer of her clothing.

_Why am I enjoying this? Shouldn't I be reviled, pushing him away, running away in fear of my own memories??_ She struggled to maintain a clear head through Inuyasha's ministrations._ So soon after such an experience...how is this possible?_

And then the answer was in her head, as clear and concise as if she'd known it since the day she was born. Kagome didn't know how she knew...maybe instinct, something she'd picked up when Inuyasha had marked her as his mate. She'd figured out long ago that there was more to their joining than simple emotions.

The fledgling mental contact they'd experienced from time to time, the near-perfect empathy between the two, Kagome knew that they had become one when they mated – become one in more than one sense. It was more than just sharing love, it was as if their very souls were intertwined.

Inuyasha could not, _could not_ hurt her. Ever. His instincts would simply not allow him to do it. When they made love, nothing bad could ever come from it...it was a healing experience, a chance for them to renew their bonds of love. Right now, mating was the best thing she could do, for her body and mind. He wanted to bring her peace. And so, she let him.

She arched into his grasp, moaning as his tongue flicked over her mark. He growled in response when one of her hands reached up to gently rub his ears. Right now, nothing mattered, nothing was important...except each other.

.

Tobias ran through the forest, having abandoned the treetops in favor of the ground, caring about nothing except putting as much ground between them and him as was possible. As he ran, images and memories flickered through his mind.

_Tobias was standing on top of a tall hill, his arm around the shoulders of a girl at his side. They were watching the sun set over the simple village where they lived._

_What a sight it was. Points of fiery red stabbed out into the sky like flaming spears. Gentle blues and purples colored the sky around them, mellowing the air, setting the scene for the nightfall that was soon to come. An orange glow settled over the entire scene._

_For a time, neither of them spoke. They simply stood and savored the sunset, not caring that it was the same one they had seen a hundred times before, basking in its glow. Tobias leaned over and kissed the girl on the cheek._

_"I love you," he whispered. She giggled and squirmed in his grasp, turning her head to kiss him back._

_"I love you too," she sighed._

_"How sickeningly romantic," a third voice observed._

_Both of them whirled to see the General standing behind them. "Yes, it is rather nice to look at, but did you have to get so sappy about it?" he went on, walking towards them._

_Tobias's eyes darkened with rage. The girl, terrified, tore herself from his grip and fled into the forest below them. He drew his sword with a flash of fire, but the General merely arched a disdainful eyebrow._

_"You always try, boy. You always try..." Before Tobias could make a move, the General was upon him, slashing him across the chest, cutting a gash in his armor. Tobias wavered and fell._

_The General walked over to a nearby tree. Grasping the slim trunk in one hand, he sliced it from the ground with his sword. A few quick cuts turned the bottom to a fine point. He walked over and, looking into Tobias's furious eyes, drove the point into his chest._

_Tobias choked, blood pouring from his mouth. The General surveyed him with an emotionless eye._

_"And you always fail." He tapped the trunk lightly with his sword. "I always heard it was good to plant a tree, once in your life. It does have a certain utility to it, I must admit." He turned his head to the forest._

_He leaped into the trees; moments later, he returned with the screaming and flailing girl in his grasp. She shrieked anew at the sight of Tobias pinned to the ground, but the General's grip did not falter._

_"Do you know who I am?" he said calmly to the girl. Tears running down her cheeks, she nodded. "And do you know what I did to him?" She nodded again, fighting back sobs. He dumped her unceremoniously on the ground and sheathed his sword._

_"And do you know..." the General said slowly, punctuating his words with steps toward her, "...what I will do to you?" There was no response; the girl tried to back away from him on her hands and knees._

_From one of his pockets, the General produced a small penknife. Fast as lightning, he descended on the girl. She screamed in fear and tried to scramble away, but one hand held her firmly down. The blade descended and cut through every layer of clothing she was wearing._

_The General brushed aside the cloth and looked down at her, naked, helpless._

_"Quite attractive. The boy certainly can pick girls...but a virgin?" He lifted her into the air with one hand, stowing the penknife with the other. "Doubtful. Girls never can seem to resist the boy. I often wonder why...is it his roguish good looks or the doom that hangs over his head?" The girl squirmed, trying desperately to get away. He began to inspect her body._

_Tobias struggled feebly, trying to get up, but it was useless. He was well and truly pinned to the ground. All he could do was watch. That was all he could ever do._

_He could never do anything to help._

_He could never stop the General._

_All he did was bring pain._

_"You _are_ a virgin, then?" said the General, sounding slightly surprised. "I would never have guessed...Pity, actually. Your first taste of sex and it is with me. An unluckier girl I have yet to meet." His free hand loosened his belt._

_Her shrieks and cries rang out far into the night._

_._

_A sound of whizzing metal, along with a slight splatter, abruptly ended the screams. The girl fell to the ground, her throat cut. The General adjusted his clothing and turned back to Tobias._

_"Dead right before she reached the top," he said coolly. "I would hate for her last second alive to be a pleasurable one..." He glanced over the top of the hill. The sun had finished setting, but there were torchlights visible in the village below._

_"This is your village, am I correct?" The General did not wait for an answer before continuing. "And you have likely set yourself up as their protector. It is bitterly ironic, no?" He yanked the tree out of the ground and out of Tobias. He lurched up, but another cruel cut from the General silenced his rebellion._

_Hefting Tobias's body over his shoulder, the General jumped from the top of the hill. He landed in the center of the village, people gasping in fear at this strange apparition._

_He tossed Tobias's limp form on the ground, and glanced at the shocked villagers._

_"This is the one who keeps your village safe," he said. "He has failed. Miserably, I might add. Do not try to run, it will only make things that much harder." He drew his sword to the sound of ringing metal..._

_...and the slaughter commenced._

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He ran even faster than before, tears stinging his eyes, plunging headlong into the dark forest.

As he ran, his sword clanked against his armor. Irrational anger began to swell up in him. _It's this thing's fault,_ he thought furiously, skidding to a halt and unsheathing his sword. It glowed a dull red. _If I hadn't found this, none of this would ever have happened! I would be dead with the rest of Alarion, and all those people wouldn't have been hurt! Kagome wouldn't have been hurt..._ In a fit of rage, he hurled the sword away from him as hard as he could.

Half a second later, he realized what he'd done.

"Oh, _shit._" He ran in the direction he'd flung his sword, double-damning himself for casting it away. _This forest is full of demons, you fucking idiot! I'm hopelessly vulnerable, like this._ He ran as fast as he could, which wasn't tremendously fast, being burdened by all his armor and accoutrements. The sword had gone quite far, and he passed several split trees and a crumbled boulder along the way.

Finally, Tobias glimpsed through the thicket the glint of metal. Pushing aside some bushes to see more clearly, he saw his sword. It was standing up, stuck in the ribs of a deer. The deer was dead.

Despite everything, Tobias caught himself feeling sorry for this deer, feeling bad about killing it uselessly. It seemed like something the General would have done. He reached over and tugged at his sword, which was covered in the deer's blood.

To his surprise, the sword wouldn't budge. Tobias leaned over with both hands, yanking on it more forcefully. Nothing. He growled in exasperation and tugged harder still, when he noticed something.

The blood wasn't pooling at the deer's body, it was flowing..._up the sword_. Tobias was too stunned to do anything as the blood flowed up the length of the blade, over the hilt, and onto Tobias himself.

The sensation gave him the creeping horrors. He tried to yank his hands away, but they were stuck fast to the sword's hilt. Frantically, Tobias tried to run away, but his feet wouldn't budge either. He looked down and saw, to his horror, that blood was flowing up his feet and legs as well.

He could do nothing but struggle vainly against the grip as the blood covered his arms, his stomach, his chest, finally coming up to flow over him entirely...

And a shrill cackle was heard from the nearby trees.

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Oh, dearest me. Mayhap some connection between certain events in this chapter and OTHER certain events in this chapter? Who's to say? REVIEW!!! Oh, and one more thing.

I originally planned for this chapter to be a massive, 20-page, Chapter To End All Chapters. But, I had writers block. So I've broken it up into two chapters – this one and the next one. The bad thing is, you won't get the second half of this chapter for a while. The good thing is, it'll be a short while as I've gotten the first five pages of next chapter already written. Including...DUM dum DUM dum DUM dum DUM...

A duel between Sesshomaru and the General!

(Hears all the fangirls go "YAAAAAAHOOOO!!!!")

And for those of you remembering Fluffy's previous, altogether ignominious defeat? He's not going down so easily this time. He's got a few new tricks up his sleeve that may give pause even to the General. ;-)

Read and review! That's the only way the next chapter will come!


	61. Clash Of The Emotionless

Hi, all. I'm back. Cliffhanger resolution, only to have yet another at the end of the chapter.

(hears everyone yell "NOOOOOOOOO...")

If it makes you feel any better, there'll be one or two more – TOPS – and then a bunch of chapters with actual ENDINGS instead of cliff-hangery ones.

And what is up with people not reviewing? I got less reviews for this chapter then I did for most of the ones in the beginning! This isn't good. I'm seriously beginning to think people's interest is slacking off...is my writing style collapsing? Honestly. Tell me.

This chapter contains...dum dum DUM...the anticipated battle of the General and Sesshomaru! And he MIGHT just lose his shirt. (gasp)

Reviews!!!

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Ryguy5387: Good. At least one person still has faith in my writing abilities. ;; ... Well, not everything turns out the way we think it will. Hell, not everything turns out the way I think it will. I think of new ideas and such every day. ... Tenseiga...? That gives me a very...interesting...idea. ... Kukuku? What are you babbling about?

BryLiz: Growing an arm back is a tiring process, even for a strong guy like the General. I wanted to make a point. ... Truth. Where would all the fun be? ... I'm not sure. He is ruggedly handsome, so maybe that's it...but then again, all anime characters are ruggedly handsome. Maybe it's his cologne.

Valdimarian: I have absolutely no clue what that means. ... You figured it out ahead of schedule. Good job.

Kitsy: Geez, I try to write a story and everyone goes all to pieces. At least I updated this one a little more timely.

Sieg1308: I'm being more timely than usual for this update. Be glad.

Kegger007: ...He is? Gee, you think people would've recognized him by now. ... Just one author promoting another. I consider it my duty. ... The General is a cold-hearted bastard, and we're just now getting glimpses of exactly the sort of things he does. ... Cliffhangers are good. Even if just to see your audience squirm. ... A one-shot about the General? I've been considering it. But I've never written a songfic before...

Inu-Baby18: Okay! Okay! Okay! Etc. ... I'll do my best.

lordkagome: You no longer have to. It's right there!

DemonSorceress: Umm...I think I'll just leave it nameless. Not an insult to you, but I think it's better that way.

PNEK MEKS: That is annoying, isn't it? If it's any better, we're near the end.

Mechant Guy: You're gonna haaaaaaate me by the end of the story. Sorry.

hersheykiss1012: I put a lot of work into those flashbacks. A lot of it was inspired by Kegger007's piece I posted. ... Yep. Next chapter = Duelsville. ... No, next chapter won't be the last...there's plenty to go. ... YOU'LL be upset when it's over? Think about ME! What will I have to do with my life? ... I wish, but it'd be awfully difficult to keep thinking up new plot ideas. ... It IS nice getting reviews. That's nine-tenths of the reason I keep posting. ... You went on and on, but I do the same, so you shouldn't worry.

japanime-01: Maaaaaybe. I never really considered that connection. ... Don't worry yourself. I never make sense either. ... Will she? Won't she? Time will tell.

Cloud1900: What is it that's lost it's charm? Really. I want to know...I want to know how to write better. I'm always trying to improve.

STORY!

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Chapter 61: Clash Of The Emotionless

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The General was pacing. Up and down the corridors, in and out of rooms, ignoring the demons' questions as to what had happened. If he had had emotions, he would have been said to be in a foul mood; but the only thing the General had changed was glaring very slightly at everything he looked at.

One of the demons, trying to get his attention for a while, finally decided to leap in front of him.

"My lord, Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands is here," it said very quickly, before the General could turn away.

The General stopped pacing. He straightened up, and glanced in the demon's direction.

"Where is he now?" he said quietly.

"I sent him to the door of your chambers, my lord, in the hopes that you would eventually return there."

"I see," said the General. "And if I had returned and found Lord Sesshomaru there, without your prior warning?" The demon flinched as he realized what he had done. "Next time, think before you act, Lieutenant," he said, with just a hint of malice in his voice. He stalked off.

Arriving back at his room, the General found Sesshomaru waiting outside. The demon lord was instantly on his feet as the General arrived. The General stopped and looked at Sesshomaru with emotionless eyes. Sesshomaru returned the gaze in kind.

"Why have you come here, oh Lord of the Western Lands?" said the General calmly.

"To challenge you, General," returned Sesshomaru, just as calmly.

"I seem to recall you building up an army for that very purpose..."

"True, but armies are of little effectiveness for two people of such power as us," said Sesshomaru. "I imagine that either of us could dispose of the other's army alone. Besides, armies can never take the place of single combat." Sesshomaru stared right into the General's eyes.

"Are you suicidal or merely insane?" Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at the General's words. "Surely you remember the last time you attempted to attack me..."

"True, but I was improperly armed. However I have managed to change that." From a second scabbard on his belt, Sesshomaru drew out Tokijin. The blade rang softly as it emerged from the sheath. What little light there was in the corridor mustered its forces briefly to glitter menacingly off the metal.

The General looked at the blade for a few seconds, then back up at Sesshomaru. "That is a fine sword," he said quietly. "However, mine is finer." He drew his own sword. Sesshomaru changed into his combat stance, but the General held up a hand.

"Do you mind if we take this outside? I would hate to destroy such a fine citadel, and disrupt the spell I have been working on for such a long time, now."

"Spell?" Sesshomaru blinked slowly. "What spell is this?"

"I am summoning something into existence, something that has not been seen on this planet for thousands of years. I have spent a very..._very_ long time trying to find the resources necessary to accomplish this, and I would appreciate it if you did not choose to ruin it now."

"But what is it exactly that you are summoning?" said Sesshomaru, with some urgency in his voice. "Some great beast, perhaps, to do your bidding?"

"Do not concern yourself with it, Lord Sesshomaru. It does not endanger the Western Lands in any way. And I have no need for massive monsters, I have power enough that such things are unnecessary." The General lowered his sword slightly. "I cannot reveal exactly what it is, for a variety of reasons. But...do you know about the boy who goes with Inuyasha?"

Sesshomaru gave the General a questioning look. "Obviously not. He dresses like myself, with armor and ancient clothing, red hair, a large sword like mine...?"

"Yes, now I know of whom you speak," said Sesshomaru. "His name is Tobias?" The General nodded fractionally. "He travels with my pathetic half-brother and their little ragtag band."

"Well," said the General, "this spell concerns him in particular, and I would hate for him to know what it was before the time was right. It would simply ruin the surprise." He sheathed his sword and held out a hand towards the corridor. "This is the way out...shall we?" Sesshomaru nodded, sheathing his own sword, and the two of them walked down the corridor.

"One thing I have always wondered about you, General...how is it you are so strong, for a human?" Sesshomaru's voice did not waver in the slightest.

"The same reason the boy has strength...the sword at my side." The General tapped the hilt lightly. He saw Sesshomaru's eyes flick down to the sword and back up again. "If you are thinking what I believe you are, then it will not work," said the General. "Disarming me is, I must admit, one way to defeat me; but you can imagine how many other humans and demons have attempted such a thing over the years. It always fails, and leaves them hopelessly vulnerable to...counter-attack."

"Thanks for the warning, General," Sesshomaru said, and even the General couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not.

"My lord!" A large demon appeared before the two of them; the General recognized him as a colonel in his army. "Where are you going?"

"To do battle with the Lord of the Western Lands," said the General coolly.

The demon appeared shocked, then quickly recovered and drew his own sword. "Your troops will stand beside you, my lord!" it rumbled. "You will not fight alone!"

"Oh, yes I will," returned the General sharply. "Do not interfere, Colonel. Tell the men to go back to their duties, and take no notice of any battles outdoors." The demon appeared troubled, but saluted and ducked into an adjoining corridor.

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After no small amount of walking, the two warriors made it to the courtyard outside of the citadel. They stood across the clearing from each other. The General brought out his sword, Sesshomaru readied Tokijin.

With a flash, both of them leaped toward each other and clashed violently in the middle. Their swords locked with a _clang_. Just as quickly, they leaped away again.

"Your skill has increased, Lord Sesshomaru," observed the General. He raised his sword ever so slightly higher.

"My skill has remained the same, General," said Sesshomaru calmly. "It is merely my better armament that increases my chances." The General inclined his head in agreement, then the two warriors leaped again.

They traded blows to no effect, or indeed, impact; neither could hit the other. They leaped away again.

"Do you really expect to defeat me?" said the General tonelessly.

"Why else would I be here?" said Sesshomaru coldly. They rushed each other again.

Sesshomaru swung, the General ducked his blow and leaped high. He came crashing down on Sesshomaru's head, but Sesshomaru blocked his attack and sent him flying. The General did a double backflip and landed on his feet, just in time to repulse Sesshomaru's attack.

They each battered away at the other's defenses, each unable to get in a single blow. They retreated once again.

"You may have borrowed power, General, but you are still..._human_," sneered Sesshomaru, as if the word was distasteful to him. "And as such, you are fettered by the restraints of your kind."

"And what restraints are those, Lord Sesshomaru?" returned the General coolly. "I certainly have an advantage over you when it comes to experience, having lived for over seventy centuries. And I do not think that superior senses of hearing or scent will win you this fight." They charged.

They locked swords and pushed against each other, each straining to break the other's grip. The General exerted himself; his muscles seemed to bulge, and Sesshomaru faltered. He went stumbling backwards, and the General rushed him.

Sesshomaru, however, recovered much more quickly than the General had expected. He lashed out with Tokijin, and the General reeled as the sword sliced through his unprotected shoulder. They backed off. 

"First blood to you," said the General, panting very slightly. "Congratulations." He did not wait for a reply, but instead charged again.

Sesshomaru attacked again, but the General came in low and outside. Tokijin flashed, and the General's blow was deflected, but the General kept going and rammed into Sesshomaru's side. His considerable bulk sent the demon flying. Sesshomaru landed awkwardly, but recovered quickly and stood.

"The praise belongs to you, General," hissed Sesshomaru. They clashed again.

They sliced at each other, stabbed, parried, blocked, leaped, and punched; and yet neither was the clear winner. The General leaped backwards; his sword glowed blue. A shining icicle rushed from the tip and hurtled toward Sesshomaru. The demon dodged it, but it threw him off his balance, and the General took the opportunity to rush in and open a long scar across Sesshomaru's chest.

Sesshomaru leaped, Tokijin held in one hand. The General readied to block, but he missed the glowing whip of energy that suddenly extended from Sesshomaru's other hand. It coiled around his ankle and yanked him off the ground.

He parried Sesshomaru's blow while flying through the air, but smacked into a tree, which burst into splinters from the impact. The General grabbed at the whip with his hand of ice, ignoring the sizzling sound, and tugged hard. Sesshomaru was pulled forwards, nearly losing Tokijin, and the General lurched forward. Sesshomaru leaped into the air to meet him.

The two warriors met in midair, their blows moving faster than the eye could see.

Each landed. The General landed; a little shakily, but he stood. Sesshomaru collapsed to one knee, groaning. He seemed to be in agony. The General turned and dashed towards Sesshomaru. He raised his sword high, ready to strike...

And faster than the General thought possible, Sesshomaru lashed out at him. He hit the General with such ferocity that his armor shattered to shards of jagged metal. The General flew backwards and hit the ground heavily, skidding on the damp grass for some distance.

He stood up again, though slowly. Sesshomaru, likewise, jumped to his feet.

"Your feint worked once, Lord Sesshomaru...it will not work again," said the General, and Sesshomaru could swear he heard some anger in the other man's voice. "Nevertheless I must commend you on such a blow. This reveals to me several things."

"Such as?" said Sesshomaru.

"I shall not have to hold back as much as I usually do." His sword began to glow a pale blue. "I congratulate you, Lord Sesshomaru. You have forced me to reach a level of power I have not had to attain in centuries." He closed his eyes. "Let us see how you handle my new strength."

Suddenly, he whipped his cape from his shoulders. It fluttered to the ground as the General struck a battle stance.

Sesshomaru stared him right in the eye. Then he reached around with a claw and tore his battle dress from him with such savagery that the entire top of his kimono came off, leaving him bare-chested.

Without any further preamble, the two warriors launched themselves at each other. They locked swords with a mighty _crash_ that shook the very earth beneath them...

.

When Kagome woke up, she didn't know what she was feeling.

She was in Inuyasha's arms, and his teeth were in her shoulder. As she stirred slightly, Inuyasha mumbled something in his sleep and withdrew his fangs. Kagome shuddered a little as she tried to think.

There was no erasing the memory of her...experience. That would stay with her forever. It lurked in the back of her mind, tormenting her with its existence every time her thoughts turned astray...

And yet...

She felt...good. Not just good, great. Kagome felt like life had taken a turn for the better...she felt like the day she was just waking up to see was a fresh and beautiful day, where anything was possible. And those possibilities were good ones.

_I guess it was a little more of a healing experience than I realized,_ Kagome thought. She giggled a little to herself at the idea. At the sound, Inuyasha's ears pricked up. Kagome glanced over at his face to find him, apparently, asleep. She began to grin.

"Good morning, Inuyasha," Kagome whispered. His eyes did not open, but a smile appeared on his face. So that was his little game, was it? Well, if he wasn't going to respond to her, then she was going to _make_ him do it.

"Mate..." she purred, moving her body sensuously against his. Inuyasha's smile grew wider, but he did not respond. "I know you can hear me." Kagome took one of his fuzzy ears in her hand and began to gently massage it, kneading the fur between her fingers.

Inuyasha couldn't stop himself from growling slightly at the feeling. Kagome's beguiling fingers were rapidly wearing down his patience, and his ears twitched and jerked in response to her caresses. Nevertheless, he kept his cool, forcing himself to remain as silent as possible.

Kagome giggled a little to herself as she began to rub his other ear. "Inu-puppy..." she whispered directly into his ear. "Who's my little puppy dog?" She blew a hot breath into his ear. Inuyasha shivered with the feeling. "I'll _get_ you to talk, Inuyasha..." said Kagome, in a mock-serious voice. She lowered her head and began to kiss his ear, running her tongue around its edge.

Inuyasha's claws were biting into his palms, his hands clenched into fists as he tried to resist his mate's advances. He could feel himself becoming aroused, and he squeezed his eyelids shut; taking deep, shuddering breaths as his control slipped away bit by bit.

Finally, he could take no more. He rolled over, pinning Kagome beneath him. She yelped and struggled playfully beneath him, whimpering slightly as he ground his hips into hers. She stared into his golden eyes, and shuddered beneath his gaze.

"Mate..." Inuyasha began. His eyes glittered – or did they twinkle?

"It's time to get up." Kagome's face fell into an unmistakable pout. "Listen, Kagome, you know there's nothing I'd rather do than spend the rest of the day here, with you..." He rocked his hips against Kagome slightly, and she flinched. "But we're in a dangerous time. I don't want you to get hurt because we're distracted. Get it?"

Sighing, Kagome squirmed out from under Inuyasha and looked around for her clothes. As her gaze settled over her slit-open blouse and skirt, a black look came into her eyes.

"Inuyasha, can't we make love just once without you destroying my clothes?" She pretend-punched him on the arm, and he chuckled. "We can't go back for more, you know. I'm going to have to sew these together."

Inuyasha looked over at Kagome's scowl, but her face softened. She leaned in closer to him. "But I can't stay mad at you..." she said, kissing him lightly on the end of his nose. "Now, if you don't mind, I need more clothes. Could you go and get them from my pack back at the camp?"

Growling good-naturedly, Inuyasha got his pants on and trudged over to the camp...

...only to find it deserted. There was no sign of Sango, Tobias, or Miroku; or any of their things. The fire was out, and all their possessions had vanished.

Inuyasha was thoroughly perplexed. He searched around the length and breadth of the area, but not a scrap of clothing was to be found. Puzzled, he jogged back to Kagome.

"What do you mean, everything's gone?" Kagome said incredulously, leaning upwards and peering into the trees. "Where are the others?"

"They're gone too. I don't know what happened," admitted Inuyasha.

"I happened," said a voice from above their heads. Inuyasha and Kagome looked upwards to see Tobias standing at the top of an insanely tall tree. Kagome instantly snatched up the blanket and held it over her chest.

"Pervert! SIT!" There was no effect on Tobias, but Inuyasha instead smashed into the ground, cursing. "Oh...eh heh...sorry, Inuyasha," said Kagome, sweatdropping. Inuyasha growled something into the dirt.

"You know, no matter how many times I see that, it's still funny," said Tobias. Kagome looked back up at Tobias. She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was clearly something different about him...

_His voice is familiar, but it sounds...different, somehow,_ thought Kagome. _I can't even see him clearly. He seems to be distorted, like he's really far away...but the tree isn't _that_ tall. What's going on?_

Tobias threw something down that landed near Kagome; it was a bundle of clothes that Kagome recognized as her spare set.

"Take these, I don't want to you go running around naked." Tobias leaped from the top of the tree and landed gracefully. Both Inuyasha and Kagome gasped.

His armor was gone. Instead of the usual cheerful smile – or, recently, glum expression – his face was an arrogant grin. His eyes were no longer golden – they were instead pure black. He seemed to carry himself differently, standing up a little straighter.

But the biggest change about him was his aura. A wavy black field surrounded him, and seemed to warp the very air around him. The grass he was standing on was withering before Kagome's eyes. She tried to read his aura; but only felt a cold, evil darkness radiating from him.

He drew his sword.

.

"Your resilience knows no bounds, Lord Sesshomaru," said the General. Their swords were locked yet again. "Indeed, many would have died after the thrashing I gave you." He did not lie: Sesshomaru's body had many wounds on it, blood dripping down his torso. The General, however, was not without his share of injuries as well.

They leaped apart, but the General moved in first. He slashed at Sesshomaru, who jumped over the whirling blade and landed behind the General. Summoning all his strength, he stabbed the General through the back.

The General stopped moving. He turned his head and looked Sesshomaru in the eye.

"Lord Sesshomaru, you amaze me," he said quietly. "Do you think you can really defeat me? I have strength yet left within me." He reached behind him with his arm of ice and gripped Tokijin's blade.

Slowly, incredibly, the ice began to spread from the General's palm. Sesshomaru watched in horror as the ice began to creep down the blade, covering the hilt and moving onto his own hand.

With a mad burst of strength, Sesshomaru yanked the sword from the General's grip. No sooner had he pulled away then the General lashed out and caught Sesshomaru full in the chest with a tremendous blow. Sesshomaru landed on his back, but slowly climbed to his feet.

Small jets of smoke began to arise from Sesshomaru's ice-covered hand. The ice abruptly shattered as poison burst forth from Sesshomaru's claws, the iced-over blade quickly melting and returning to normal. The General faced Sesshomaru down.

"I regret, oh Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands, that I have no more time to fight you. Admittedly, I expected to finish this battle long before this time..." He sheathed his sword. "This battle is not over," he said, as calmly as if nothing had just happened. "We will resume our fighting at another time. Now, however, I have pressing business to attend to." He began walking towards the citadel.

Sesshomaru leaped up and charged after him, but the General snapped his fingers three times. Over the walls leaped five of the biggest, nastiest demons Sesshomaru had ever seen. The General never broke stride as he walked through the door to his castle and slammed it behind him.

Sesshomaru backed up slightly. _I can defeat these demons, but I am already wounded enough..._ He leaped away, bounding through the trees. _I see how this turns out. I...I cannot defeat him alone. I must do what I hoped I would not have to..._

_._

"What the _fuck_ happened to you?" said Inuyasha incredulously.

"Oh, you know..." Tobias waved his hand in a meaningless gesture. "A little of this, some of that. A little mind control, a dash of dark magic, and here I am now." He gave an exaggerated bow.

"Mind control?" whispered Kagome, horrified.

"Not as such," amended Tobias. "Y'ever hear the saying 'There's good in everyone'? Well, turns out there's evil in everyone too." His grin grew. "And with the right combination of magic, you can bring that evil out to the front where it belongs." He took a step toward.

Inuyasha instantly leaped in front of Kagome, snatching up Tetsusaiga from its scabbard. "What the hell are you talking about?" he snarled.

"Long story short, I ran into this witch, remember her? The one who put that awful heat spell on Kagome?" Kagome gasped. Tobias nodded slightly. "Yeah, her," he chuckled. "Her power took a jump since she got her hands on the Shikon shards..." He lowered his voice dramatically. "_All_ of 'em. And she got ahold of me, see?" He took another step.

Inuyasha raised his sword and growled, but Tobias laughed.

"I wouldn't try it, Inuyasha." He walked toward Inuyasha as he spoke. "Something useful about this evil magic thing...since my life force isn't animating my body, _I can't die._" Inuyasha's eyes widened in horror. "That's right," said Tobias gleefully. "Stab me, cut me, slash me to pieces; I'll pull myself together. Do your best." He lowered his voice. "It won't make any difference."

Inuyasha lunged forward and struck at Tobias, but he vanished in a wisp of smoke. A ringing of metal was heard, and Kagome fell to the ground, clutching at her throat.

"KAGOME!!" Inuyasha howled, leaping to her. Tobias stood on top of another tree, grinning down at both of them.

"Don't worry yourself, Inuyasha, I didn't kill her. I cut her just enough to get your attention..." His eyes glittered strangely. "And to make you..._furious_."

With a guttural roar, Inuyasha launched himself at Tobias, but Tobias vanished again and Inuyasha felt his sword pierce his side. With a grunt of pain, Inuyasha fell to the ground.

As soon as he jumped to his feet, Tobias appeared and struck again. Kagome shrieked as Inuyasha went flying backwards, blood spurting from a large wound in his torso.

_Oh, Gods... _thought Kagome frantically._ The wound the General gave him...it's opening up again!_

Tobias slashed downwards, cutting a long path down Inuyasha's body. Inuyasha stumbled and fell. Inuyasha's eyes widened as he felt the pain of his wounds biting him. _What the fuck is going on...wherever he hits me, it's burning like it's on fire!_

Tobias stood before Inuyasha, his sword out. He laughed cruelly, staring down at his stunned opponent.

"Enjoy your last moments, Inuyasha...they'll be yours _and_ hers." He raised his sword high. "I've always wanted to-"

Suddenly he stumbled, his legs shook and his swing went wide. A shining metal sword suddenly protruded from his chest...

...and then another one did the same.

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Ooh, guess who we haven't seen in a LONG time! That's right, he's showing up yet again! Yet again! Still don't know who? Tune in next time! Review!


	62. Ambush

Hi. I'm back. Sorry I took so long. My new computer is doing just swimmingly, but the bastards forgot to tell me that I'd have to purchase Word separately. I'm writing this on a library computer.

EDIT: I'm good to go. Review responses are about to commence, except for one tiny little thing. Remember before, I asked you if anybody could draw Tobias, the General, and Tybalt? Well, I said I'd email some people, but I forgot. I have a better idea: I'll just put their descriptions here. **Anyone who can draw manga-type characters (serious ones, not funny-looking ones like Sailor Moon), read these descriptions and email me at I welcome any and all submissions, as long as you're serious about it. The best ones will be the "official" likenesses of them, and they'll be exhibited at the beginning. The rest will be shown at the end of the chapter.**

Tobias's description: He's fairly tall, about as tall as Inuyasha is. He's lean, yet muscular, not overly built, but not wiry, either. He has red hair that sticks out in all directions...think Gene Starwind's hair from _Outlaw Star_. He has golden-colored eyes and fairly regular features. He's handsome but not dreamboat-ish. You should draw him smiling. He wears clothes that are kind of rumpled, but not baggy or excessively loose; long sleeves on the shirt and pants down to his ankles. He has many pockets, both in his shirt and in his pants, but these should not be obvious. His shirt is pale red and his pants are blue. He wears a bright red cape that flows down to his ankles, and it's fastened about his neck with an ornate brooch, patterned with a fireball. He also wears plate-mail armor, though not covering his entire body. The armor is black, with fancy designs (you decide what) covering it all over. [Important! If you draw both Tobias and the General, make sure that the patterns on their armor are **NOT THE SAME.**] He wears a breastplate, an armored belt, wrist guards, and shin guards, all with the same design. He wears greaves – armored boots; again, black. Ideally, he should be shown with his sword drawn. His sword is long, very long; not Buster Sword long, but quite a massive sword. Four and a half feet long is about it. Think a medieval greatsword and you have the idea. It has a tongue of fire patterned on both sides of the blade, starting near the hilt and going up about a third of the way. The hilt is wrought with gold and jewels, and the handle is tasseled with velvet (though not a lot may be seen of that, since he's holding it). He can hold it with one hand or both hands. He also wears a scabbard that is similarly decorated with fancy patterns, though not necessarily the same as those on his armor. I think that about covers it.

The General's description: When you're drawing the General, think "dignified", because he just oozes dignity from every pore. He's very tall, well over six feet. Unlike Tobias, he is very musclebound, with muscles bulging from his chest, arms, torso, everywhere. He is quite handsome, but not boyish. Like I said, dignified. He has a very serious expression at all times. His hair is blue and is more sedately styled. Think Legato Bluesummers' hair from _Trigun_, and you've got it. His eyes are brown, he has a smallish nose and a strong chin. He wears clothes that are kind of rumpled, but not baggy or excessively loose; long sleeves on the shirt and pants down to his ankles. His shirt is pale blue and his pants are dark gray. He has many pockets, both in his shirt and in his pants, but these should not be obvious. He wears a bright blue cape that flows down to his ankles, and it's fastened about his neck with an ornate brooch, patterned with a snowflake. He also wears plate-mail armor, though not covering his entire body. The armor is gray, with fancy designs (you decide what) covering it all over. [Important! If you draw both Tobias and the General, make sure that the patterns on their armor are **NOT THE SAME.**] He wears a breastplate, an armored belt, wrist guards, and shin guards, all with the same design. He wears greaves – armored boots; again, gray. He should be shown with his sword drawn and the tip in the ground, with one hand gripping the upside-down sword. The other arm, you can do as you wish, within reason. His sword is long, very long; not Buster Sword long, but quite a massive sword. Four and a half feet long is about it. Think a medieval greatsword and you have the idea. It has an icicle patterned on both sides of the blade, starting near the hilt and going up about a third of the way. The hilt is wrought with gold and jewels, and the handle is tasseled with velvet (though not a lot may be seen of that, since he's holding it). He also wears a scabbard that is similarly decorated with fancy patterns, though not necessarily the same as those on his armor. In a lot of ways, he looks like Tobias (his sword, his dress, etc), but his increased size, and the way he holds himself, should distinguish him. He has very good posture.

Tybalt's description: Tybalt looks very different from Tobias and the General, and in some respects, is easier to draw. He is taller than Tobias but shorter than the General. He's very lean, but not skinny; wiry would be an excellent word to describe him. He has yellow hair, and it goes everywhere; think Cloud Strife's hair from _Final Fantasy VII_. He has green eyes, a small nose, and a kind of boyish, playful look about him. He should definitely be shown grinning like a maniac. He wears, for clothes, a skin-tight black bodysuit that is seamless over him. Nobody knows how he gets in or out of it. On the chest of his bodysuit are emblazoned two crossed swords, both pointing downwards diagonally (handles on top, points on the bottom). These swords are katana-style. He carries two swords with him, and he should be drawn holding both of them. Either both held traditionally, or one held up and the other held in a dagger-grip, either way, but the second looks pretty cool. These swords are wakizashi-style, each about two and a half feet long. They have no special designs on them; the handles and hilts are black. He has two scabbards that he wears at his waist, but they're just plain gray scabbards. (Don't ask where he conceals his two guns, it's magic or something.)

**Anyone who has manga-drawing skills and would like to see their art displayed for all should send in drawings, following these descriptions, to I'll choose the best to be the "official" drawings, shown at the beginning, and I'll show the rest at the end of the chapter. Send 'em in, folks!**

Also, if you're _really_ good, there are a few other bits I wouldn't mind for someone to draw them.

Reviews!1!!1!!11!1!shift one!

Ryguy5387: Cobalt...? You're on the right track, at least. ... Oh. I didn't know. Naraku's out of the picture, so it really isn't much of an issue, nyah? ... It's probably just me. I haven't been doing so well, lately; and whenever I go a long time without updating, I get depressed.

Valdimarian: No, no, I have another idea for that. Sooner than you think. ... It's been nearly four years. He's a resourceful guy. We'll all just assume that he got it back somehow and be done with it. ... Yes, but I don't use Japanese in my stories, if you've noticed. I figure, either straight English or straight Japanese. ... Does anybody? Except, well, him? ... Tybalt? No, he was around before, remember, he distracted Tobias while Kikyo snatched Kagome?

Kitsy: Yes, I'm an idiot. I've known THAT for a while now. ... Two "YAY!"s and two "GO TO HELL!"s...I've broken even.

Hanyou-demoness: It IS Tobias, but not the Tobias you know and love. He's been altered. ... I've flushed you out! Now review!

Mitsuki-kun: There's a difference between burning when you're on fire and burning like poison burns you. Or maybe he just forgot. Inuyasha never was that bright. ... Tybalt? Well, you must remember that he already WAS in the past, he ran into Tobias once before in the past! Remember? ... Sesshomaru? He's a bit busy at the moment. ... Toutousai?! Where are you coming up with this stuff? That's just crazy.

BryLiz: I tried to make it seem epic. After all, the General and Sesshomaru are both very, very strong. ... Not quite. He didn't really have a choice in the matter of his transfiguration...

lordkagome: It might be. Look ahead to find out. ... Everyone hates me. I've learned to accept it by now.

Kegger007: Sesshomaru has to live up to his reputation as a fearless fighter, and the General can't let himself lose. It was quite the trick, deciding the outcome. ... Yeah, even Sesshomaru can't really stand up to the General forever. The General is the biggest, baddest, strongest guy there is out there. Besides, what fun would it be if Sesshomaru killed the General now? The story'd be over before the big climactic end battle. ... You think he's cooler? He's supposed to be the infernal spawn of evil! If you think that's cool...(shrugs) ... I think you've guessed correctly. ... Darn shame about only two reviews. It really was excellent. Technically, you got three...my gushing review by email counts as well.

riversan: There are many reasons, many and varied, but we won't get into them this chapter. ... I'm glad it IS captivating, or else everyone would have wandered off by now.

japanime-01: Who do you THINK has two swords, and hates Tobias...? Think about it...

Sieg1308: I should be apologizing to YOU for the delay, not the other way around. Don't sweat it.

hersheykiss1012: I love a good cliffhanger, especially when I inflict it upon people instead of reading it myself. ... Battles, battles, battles. Muwahahahahahaha. ... I proportion the length of my replies to the length of the reviews. In essence, longer review = longer reply. So write long reviews!

Mr. Dark: You think so? What if Tobias...say...WERE to die? What then, eh? WHAT THEN? ... You were trying to write one like this? Go ahead, unless your character is named Toby and comes from a place called Anarion, I won't care a whit. Keep working on it. Never give up. Trust your instincts.

Mechant Guy: You don't like Sesshomaru? He's pretty cool...everyone usually likes him. Hence people's morbid fascination with Sess/Kag stories. (shudders) ... You knew the witch was coming? You're psychic! Or, I put foreshadowing in.

PNEK MEKS: Cruel? Yes. Unusual? Err...yes. ... You like the torture? You're not into S&M, are you? Or am I overreacting? Yeah, probably.

Jeanne-chan56: Everyone likes Sesshomaru without a shirt. That's the whole POINT. The guy's a beast. Literally. ... It's okay for not reviewing. I can understand how life would interfere...I just wish Kai19 would review recently. Geez.

Crazy Sprayer: A novel?? I don't think so...a long story, yes, but a novel is stretching it a bit, methinks. ... Of course I'll finish it! All my best ideas are being poured into the final battle! That's where I'll really shine. Remember that.

DemonSorceress: You just described half the characters in this story. But I think you get the idea.

Lunar Inuyasha: Yeah, I'm evil with the cliffhangers. ... I worked hard to make Tobias believable. Did I succeed?

Celestra: (Chapter 60:) Kagome has some backbone to her. She was never one to just give up and let things happen...she's active. ... Of course I've read the fourth Harry Potter book! All aspiring authors should read those books. Those and the Lord of the Rings series. ... Yeah, he's a bastard. He enjoys being a bastard. ... Wish the General dead? You're assuming the Shikon Jewel has enough power in it to do something like that. Remember, Midoriko was amazingly strong, but these swords have an ancient power instilled in them.

(Chapter 61:) Sesshomaru is strong, stronger than either Tobias or Inuyasha. That's been proven. But without a sword, as previously shown, he could not effectively combat the General. Now that he has Tokijin, he should be on his way. ... The witch might have to be nearby, but Tobias can teleport, remember that. So she might be further away than you think.

Story!

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Chapter 62: Ambush!

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The ground shook.

A massive beast, easily thirty feet tall, roared in frustration. Its skin was pure black, muscles big as boulders bulging all over his body. Its large head was covered with shaggy brown hair and a grimace. Angry red eyes glared at the world, set deep into its forehead.

"Where IS he?!" it bellowed. It smashed its anvil-like fist into the earth. "He should know better than to keep us waiting!"

"Calm yourself, Nanashi," a soothing female voice said. The beast glanced down to its side. A small cat-demon lounged on the grass next to him. She was very shapely, with bluish fur and seductive curves all over her body. Her white eyes glittered like diamonds, and the elaborate kimono she wore was patterned with precious jewels. "He will be here...has Lord Sesshomaru ever failed to appear at a meeting he himself called?"

Nanashi glared at the cat-demon before scanning the horizon. "You have such faith in him, Lady Misao," he rumbled. "I do not share your ideals. All I know is that if he does not make an appearance before sundown, I shall have a _very_ difficult time accepting this...this _proposal_ of his."

"I agree with Lord Nanashi," said a strange, echoing voice. A ball of mist, roiling and flowing, floated in the air across from the other two. It was off-white in color, and the very faintest impression of a face could be seen on its surface. Small wisps of fog curled off of it and dissipated into the atmosphere. "Tardiness is an inexcusable offense for someone of such great stature as him or ourselves."

"Oh, get off your high horses, you two," said Misao offhandedly. "Especially you, Suryiken. You're always so annoyingly formal."

If it was possible for a shapeless form of mist to look offended, it did. "I act as is befitting my status as the Lord of the Southern Lands. You should act more in accordance with your rank...after all, one does not become the Lady of the Eastern Lands by being informal."

Misao stood up, but at that moment, Sesshomaru entered the area. "Lord Suryiken, Lord Nanashi, Lady Misao, I thank you for attending this meeting which was so hastily called together," he said calmly.

Nanashi glared. "You did not show at the appointed time, Lord Sesshomaru."

"For that, I am sorry," said Sesshomaru. arose. Jaken, wait outside." The little toad-beast retreated from the clearing, sniveling. All present turned to Sesshomaru.

"Lord Sesshomaru...are you injured?" said Misao. Sesshomaru had a thick bandage running across his torso and shoulder like a bandolier, and the his right hand was swathed in bandages.

"As I " Sesshomaru walked to the middle of the clearing. "I am here because I must inform you of a threat, a threat that endangers not only the Western Lands but the entire island of Japan."

"Explain this threat," said Suryiken warily.

Sesshomaru took a deep breath. "I ask, my lords and lady, that you take me seriously in this matter. What I say to you, you may consider unbelievable, but I swear to you that it is the absolute truth." He paused for a second, looking around the area. "There is a man, a human, who is perhaps the most powerful creature I have ever seen in all my years. His name...is the General."

The name seemed to send a wave of shock throughout the group. Misao leaped to her feet, her fur standing on end. Nanashi reared backwards in shock, his massive eyes wide. Even Suryiken showed surprise; a startled ripple ran through his vaporous form and his color changed from white to a pale green.

"Is he very large for his species, muscle-bound and tall?" whispered Nanashi.

"He wears ancient armor and clothing of a sort not seen for millennia?" echoed Suryiken.

"And he carries a massive sword that will destroy anything?" breathed Misao.

"You have encountered the General, then, I take it," said Sesshomaru. "Then you know as well as I do that he is a very, very dangerous man."

"We have each met him in turn, Lord Sesshomaru," said Misao, her fur still pricked up. "He has inflicted terrible damage on each of our provinces."

"I attempted to defeat him," rumbled Nanashi fearfully, "but he has strength and speed beyond that of any demon."

"So you see the reason I come here," said Sesshomaru quietly. "I am a proud demon. Some of you..." His gaze lingered over Nanashi. "...might even call me vainglorious or arrogant. There is truth to these allegations...I would never ask for help unless I desperately needed it. You must know that me coming to you for aid signals that my need is most dire. I have taken steps already against the General, but I need more assistance..."

"What help could we give, Lord Sesshomaru?" said Suryiken. "Do you wish all four of us to attempt to defeat him together? I hardly think we would survive such an attempt, much less win."

"I require your martial strength, yes, but not on a personal level..." Sesshomaru leaned in close. "On a much _grander_ scale..."

.

"You know..." said Tobias slowly, "this really isn't the best time."

"It's a gift." The two swords withdrew with a squelch. Black mist seemed to be roiling from the two wounds as Tobias turned around to face his attacker.

Tybalt stood before him, swords akimbo, not striking any particular fighting stance. Tobias slowly shook his head.

"I'm kind of in the middle of something right now, Tybalt..." said Tobias, with a tinge of annoyance permeating his voice. "Could you give me, like, five minutes, and THEN I'll kill you. Deal?"

"I don't like either part of that," said Tybalt dryly. He rushed at Tobias, who vanished. He reappeared behind Tybalt, ready to strike, but Tybalt whirled around and scored a telling blow across Tobias's midsection.

Tobias stumbled backwards, and Tybalt smashed him in the face with his fist. Tobias recovered and lashed out with his sword, but Tybalt evaded the blow and scuttled up a tree.

Anger now clearly displayed on his face, Tobias swept his sword around and cut the tree in two. Tybalt leaped from the top, pushing off heavily with his feet, and landed opposite it. He grinned at Tobias.

"Timber," he said lightly. Tobias glared at him, but the effect was ruined somewhat as the falling tree – aimed by Tybalt – smashed down upon him.

For a moment, it was still, then the tree exploded into splinters. Tobias leaped from the wreckage and lunged at Tybalt. The other man danced over his head and sheathed his swords. In midair, he brought out his twin pistols.

As soon as he hit the ground, he opened fire on Tobias. He staggered under the relentless barrage, attempting to advance, falling to one knee. Tybalt's pistols ran dry. He stopped firing.

"You can slow me down, Tybalt, but you can't stop me this time around," he said, breathing heavily. Black smoke poured from the dozens of bullet holes in his body.

"I've been meaning to ask you about that, actually," said Tybalt. "Where'd you get that whole, dark aura thingy? It looks good on you. Brings out the color of your hair."

"You think so?" Tobias sheathed his sword and ruffled his hair. "I've been going for the whole 'spawn of darkness' look. I heard it's big with the ladies." Tobias winked at Kagome, who shuddered, her hand still clasped to her throat. "I had to lose the armor, though. Not like I need it now," he added conversationally.

"Really. Seems to me you'd be better off WITH it...you're not doing too well at the moment." Tybalt holstered his guns and brought out his swords. "Why, you haven't landed a single hit. That's uncharacteristic of you."

"And you've landed many, but they have no effect," remarked Tobias.

"Doesn't look like it. You're staggering and you know it."

"Try me." The two warriors charged each other, blades locking with a shower of sparks. Tobias leaped away and pointed his sword straight at Tybalt.

"This whole 'bathed in evil' thing isn't just for looks, you know," he said, more seriously. "There are some nifty tricks that come along with it." He vanished.

Tybalt turned quickly and struck at the air behind him, but Tobias was gone from there. He leaped from the top of a tree and hit the ground to Tybalt's flank. He rushed Tybalt, sword glowing an eerie black.

"_Cruelest Cut._" He swung mightily, but Tybalt bent over backwards and evaded the attack. Inuyasha quickly moved Kagome out of the way as the power of the attack ripped through the forest behind them.

"New attacks and all?" Tybalt scuttled away, bent over backwards on all fours, as Tobias jumped at him. "I'm impressed..." He did a backflip and landed on his feet, in time to score several powerful blows against Tobias.

Tobias stumbled. Tybalt lunged. Tybalt struck.

Tobias's head fell from his shoulders.

Kagome gasped. Inuyasha's eyes widened. Tybalt smiled.

Oddly, Tobias also smiled.

Tybalt's jubilation swiftly turned to confusion as Tobias's headless body, far from crumpling in a heap, reached down and began groping blindly for its head.

"Yes, that was it. I really was planning to mention this to you earlier, but you didn't give me much of a chance," Tobias's head said, calmly, as if they were merely sitting at a bar together. "The last – and strongest – effect of this dark possession is that I am effectively immortal. Fancy that, eh?"

Tybalt could do no more than soundlessly gape. Tobias's body located its head, picked it up, and placed it back on its shoulders.

Black energy shimmered at the wound, which seemed to be slowly healing itself. Tobias shook his head and blinked a few times. He smiled cheerfully at Tybalt.

"Though I live yet, you've sapped me of the will to fight. I mean, you cut off a guy's head, it's just proper etiquette that he concedes, you know?" Tobias grinned. "And with that, I bid you farewell." He vanished.

Tybalt stood for a moment, not saying a word. Then, suddenly, he sheathed his swords and turned to Inuyasha and Kagome. "Do any of you know what that was about?" he said.

"Err...sort of," said Inuyasha. "He mentioned something about how he couldn't die while he was all evil like that." Kagome's throat was still bleeding a little, so he leaned down and lapped at the wound. The cut closed up as his tongue bathed her skin. Satisfied that his mate was safe, Inuyasha stood up, Kagome right behind him.

"Shit," said Tybalt, annoyed. He looked around for a bit, as though expecting Tobias to come lunging out of the foliage. He sighed. "Well, I guess I'll just be running along, then..."

"Wait," said Kagome. Tybalt turned to look. "I've always wanted to ask you, you know...when you're not trying to kill us..." Tybalt arched an eyebrow.

"I'm not trying to kill YOU, I'm trying to kill HIM. Well...something like that," he amended hastily.

"That's just it. Why are you trying to kill him? What did he do to you?"

Tybalt looked awkward. "I...really can't say at the moment..." he said, uncomfortably. "All I can tell you is I'm at the behest of a very dear friend of mine." He unsheathed his swords and looked away. Inuyasha moved in front of Kagome, protecting her, but Tybalt only turned his head back.

"Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I really must be going. See you again, whenever he shows up, that is..." He leaped into the trees and was gone.

Inuyasha stared blankly into the forest for a second, before turning back to Kagome.

"Are you all right?" he said, quickly. "How's your cut? Is it healed all the way?"

"I'm fine, but...what about you?" Kagome pointed, horrified, at Inuyasha's wounds. He glanced down...

The wound was growing steadily larger, and black mist was pouring out of it, the same way it poured out of Tobias's wounds. Inuyasha's eyes grew wide.

"That little shithead..." He scrabbled at the wound, trying to hold it shut, but it kept growing larger. "When I find him again, I don't care IF he can't die, I'll make him wish he COULD."

"Right now, we need to worry about you, Inuyasha...stop being so macho," Kagome said, worriedly.

"And we need to find the rest of them. Where the hell are Sango and Miroku and Shippo?" Inuyasha demanded.

"I don't know...we should go back to the town, it's only a few miles away. We need to get you some help."

"Before you go..." They looked up to see Tybalt standing at the top of a tree. "I didn't mention this before, because I thought you'd be mad," he called down. "But before you go anywhere, Kagome, I'd suggest you put your clothes on."

Kagome looked down, giving a startled shriek that – in the chaos of the battle – Inuyasha's kimono had fallen off of her, and she was now bare to the world.

"I mean, I appreciate the view..." continued Tybalt, even as Inuyasha lunged up the tree, Tetsusaiga in hand; "but I don't think you want anyone else to see that." A split second before Inuyasha reached him, he leaped away and was gone.

Inuyasha hit the ground, disappointed. "I wish, just once, that I could catch that guy," he grumbled, as Kagome hurriedly dressed herself.

.

The General had retired to his room once more. He shut and locked the door behind him and immediately put a hand to his wound on his back.

"Deep..." he murmured, "but not nearly as deep as the one Inuyasha inflicted. Yet it is a danger, should I leave it untreated." His gaze flickered over to the bottle of sleeping potion the witch had given him. "Perhaps another sleep will do me well."

The General, mistrustful of any sleeping effect, had drunk only half the bottle when the witch had given it to him originally. Lying in bed and quaffing the other half, he found himself almost immediately drifting off.

His vision began to blur, his limbs felt weak, the sounds he heard were vague and echoing. _Is this what dying feels like?_ he wondered bemusedly. The last thing he heard was one of his captains shouting "Hey! No disturbing the General while he's in his private room! Do you want me to report..."

_He was back in Alarion. Fear gripped his heart as the memories rose up in his mind of his last encounter here..._

_He drew his sword and whirled, trying to get a glimpse of anything, but the darkness was like a heavy cloth pressed over his eyes. He could hardly see his own sword in front of him, even with its blue glow._

_A terrible snarling laugh confirmed what he had feared – the nightmare creature was back again. The realization took on awful reality as he felt sharp claws pierce his skin. He was dragged off his feet and flung away by the force of the beast. He flailed out with his sword, in an attempt to harm the monster, but it vanished as soon as his sword drew near._

_He stood, quaking with fear, only to see the beast descending on him from on high. His red fang glowed with an eerie power._

_He felt it drive through his chest._

"Argh!"

The General arose and instantly drew his sword, unknowingly cutting a deep gash in the stone wall beside him. Instantly a demon was at the door, knocking.

"Are you all right, sir? Do you need any assistance?"

The General wiped his brow. His nervous panting began to subside as he collapsed back onto the bed. _This dream...it is haunting me. I am lucky I do not sleep often._

"Sir??" The knocking grew into pounding. "Are you hurt?!"

"I am fine, Lieutenant," the General said, the calmness in his voice betraying the fear in his heart. "How long has it been since I came into this room?"

"Approximately seven hours, sir. Are your wounds healing?" The General glanced into a mirror behind him, to find that his wound on his back had completely healed over, as had his other scrapes he had acquired.

"Yes. That will be all." He could hear the demon walking away.

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There we go. Review!

**And remember, send in those pictures to ! Send them! Seeeeeeeend themmmmmm!!!!! Must...have...accurate...drawings...of my OCs!**


	63. Bad News About The Story

I'm sorry I have to do this. But I have no other choice.

Let me preface this statement with this: I will finish this story. As God is my witness, by all that is good and holy on this Earth, _I will finish this goddamned story._ That is a _fact_. That _cannot_ be changed.

I can already hear some of you moaning "He's gonna leave us hanging, isn't he..." I'm sad to say that that is the truth. I must take a leave of absence from writing, a sabbatical if you will. A few days, a few months, I don't know how long.

Why am I doing this? One reason would be writer's block. I have been nearly unable to think of _anything_ to write at all for the last few months. It seems that every time I sit down to write, I get a very strong urge to just close Word and open StarCraft. I can't explain it, but it's true. I am apparently tapped out.

Another reason is stress. My life has been really, really difficult these last few months. Did you notice the length of time between my updates growing longer and longer? I just couldn't find the time or the will to write. I can't give any specifics, but it seems that my life is just falling apart around me. I can barely stand it anymore. I can't focus on the story at a time like this.

But there is one glimmer in the darkness. I _will_ finish this story. I must. Why? If I fail at this – if I fail at the one thing I've done that nobody helped me with; the one thing that I've poured my blood, sweat, and tears into over the last year and a half – I stand to lose everything. **_I...will...finish._** Do not be afraid that I won't. I will try my damndest to finish it by the end of this year, though I can make no promises as to that.

Another interesting tidbit is I've contracted several talented artists to draw Tobias, the General, and Tybalt. While not professional-grade, they'll give you a good idea of what these characters look like. This does not mean you shouldn't send in your submissions (**OR ENCOURAGE YOUR ARTIST FRIENDS TO DO THE SAME, HINT HINT)**! I can use everything I get. I'll post 'em all up when I get a good collection of them.

Once again, I'm sorry about this. But I can see no other way. I just...I can't continue right now. Maybe in a little while, things will be better. I hope so. I will finish, but I cannot say when.

And...at least I didn't end it on a cliffhanger, eh?

- Gary


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